NSAs told to strengthen grassroots programs

PSC Chairman Butch Ramirez. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

The national sports associations under the Philippine Olympic Committee are told to expand their grassroots programs to gain a wider array of future talents.

It’s an offer from the Philippine Sports Commission that the NSAs would find hard to resist in a win-win partnership with the sports-financing agency.

“We want to help NSAs in their own grassroots sports programs. When they conduct a strong and effective grassroots program, they help us carry out our mandate to make sports accessible to every Filipino,’’ said PSC Chair Butch Ramirez.

In effect, the NSAs can form a deeper pool of talents as they conduct grassroots projects for young athletes outside of their usual target areas.

“This would help them create a deep pool, from which the elite sports could cull their future stars,’’ said Ramirez.

The PSC has started discussing the proposed plan of action with the different NSAs on Tuesday in a series of consultations centering on the latters’ annual budget requirements.

Combat sports under PSC Commissioner Ramon Fernandez such as karatedo, judo, boxing, muay, pencak silat and wushu were scheduled ahead of the other NSAs for two days.

“We have limited resources and we want to maximize it,’’ said Ramirez.

The sports programs of the NSAs for the youth will be included in the PSC’s calendar of activities, which includes the Batang Pinoy Games, Philippine National Games and the Children’s Games for Peace, among others.

Besides submitting their proposed financial requests for the year, the NSAs were likewise told to update their recognition from the POC and their respective international federations (IFs).

Profiles of athletes were also tackled in the meeting with the NSAs as the government plans to categorize every athlete based on previous performance.

Meanwhile, PSC Commissioner Celia Kiram received the P470-million check remittance from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) for the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) as provided for by Republic Act 6847, the law that created the PSC.