For total grassroots sports development; PSC eggs on LGUs support

CEBU, Philippines - The Philippine Sports Commission has called on the local and provincial government units in the Visayas region to throw their all-out support to the re-establishment of the Philippine Fitness and Sports Development Council (PFSDC) during its directional meeting at Crown Regency Hotel yesterday.

Despite the short notice, over a hundred representatives from Central, Western and Eastern Visayas that include sports coordinators, administrators, mayors and vice mayors came to meet with the PSC bigwigs led by no less than their chairman William “Butch” Ramirez and Cebu-based commissioner Ramon Fernandez.

After the half-day activity that was also attended by PSC Regional Coordinator for the Visayas Lorenzo 'Chao' Sy and Cebu City Sports Commission chairman Ed Hayco, Ramirez said they badly need the support of the LGUs concerned for a total grassroots development in the country.

“Without the participation of the LGUs, we cannot prosper, we will not be able to execute our grassroots program well,” said Ramirez.

The country's top sports honcho stressed that the backing of the LGUs is very vital as they 'reactivate' the National, Provincial, City, Municipal, and Barangay Physical Fitness and Sports Development Councils or PFSDC, which was created by then President Fidel V. Ramos by virtue of Executive Order No. 63.

The current PSC administration has termed it as 'reactivation' even if the program has not been stopped nor have not been implemented ever since it was instituted with due respect to the people behind the creation of the PFSDC.

PFSDC acts as a nationwide organizational network to assist the PSC in planning, information and dissemination and actual implementation and monitoring of the national policy and program of 'Sports for All'.

PFSDC covers all stakeholders in the country, from the barangay up to the national level.

Though PSC’s partnership with the LGUs, it is expected that there will be a better promotion of sports and other physical fitness activities in different areas all over the country.

“If we are able to get all the LGUs support, mas mukusog ang atong sports program, ang Batang Pinoy, ang atong (Philippine) National Games. Mas mulambo pa ang atong programa ug mas active ang mga kabataan ug mas mudaghan pa atong mga atleta,” added Ramirez. (FREEMAN)