New joint order okays bubbles for national athletes

The national kickboxers could be among the fighters who will train in the Baguio City bubble. —EDWIN BACASMAS

National athletes bound for the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games can now enter their respective bubble training under the strict supervision of the government.

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), the Department of Health and the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) have released a joint administrative order (JAO) enumerating the implementing guidelines on how athletes and their national sports associations should safely conduct a bubble-type environment for training.

Based on the order signed by PSC chair William Ramirez, GAB chair Baham Mitra and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, contact and noncontact sports got the go-signal to train in areas placed under moderate and low-risk community quarantine classifications.

Under strict guidance by the PSC Medical Unit, athletes and personnel for the bubble training will be determined by the sports association and endorsed by the Philippine Olympic Committee and Philippine Paralympic Committee to the PSC.

The JAO has also instructed the deployment of health and safety officers to continuously monitor the health status of all individuals inside the training area. Members of the national team that are below 18 years old are required to have a written consent from their parents.

PSC commissioner Ramon Fernandez, the Team Philippines’ chef de mission in the coming SEA Games in Vietnam, recently checked on the PSC facilities at Teacher’s Camp in Baguio City, which will host athletes from boxing, karate, athletics, muay thai and possibly kickboxing. INQ