The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
By Jesse C. Ong
The government is getting more aggressive in its effort to discover and train future athletic champions as it seeks the support of local government units (LGUs) in the identification of a new breed of sports talents.
Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Commissioner Ramon Fernandez recently called on the LGUs to adopt various grassroots sports-development programs, particularly on disciplines where they believe their athletes can excel.
Fernandez, a four-time Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Most Valuable Player award recipient, urged local government officials to follow the example set by his home province of Cebu and Zamboanga del Sur province in creating their own athletic programs.
Both provinces have identified the sports disciplines where they will focus on in the development of potential champions who will represent the Philippines in major international competitions in the future.
Fernandez proudly noted that Cebu has 10 priority sports like Zamboanga del Sur, which even established a sports academy to train and develop young upstarts who demonstrate athletic skills.
The PSC official asked those handling the sports programs of the LGUs to pick five to 10 priority sports where they can fare very well after assessing the performances of their athletes at various local events.
Fernandez suggested that each town should have a sports program developing athletes who stand out in intertown competitions. “Dapat dalhin ang mga magagaling na athletes sa provincial meets,” he said.
The government sports agency recently embarked on its nationwide talent identification program by holding a sports caravan in Naga City for the Bicol region. Another round of meeting with the LGUs is slated in the coming weeks.
