Ramirez lauds PSC, eyes private support

MANILA, Philippines – It took incoming Philippine Sports Commission chairman Butch Ramirez less than an hour to see for himself the positive changes in the government sports agency that he left seven years ago.

Ramirez is returning to the post he held from 2005 to 2009. Yesterday, he sat down with outgoing PSC chief Richie Garcia and Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco.

The sportsman from Davao was briefed on the PSC status – from an agency that was cash-strapped to one that has close to P1.4 billion in the bank and ready for disposal.

Under Garcia’s term, the allowances of athletes and coaches grew twice or thrice as much, as well as incentives for medals won in international competitions.

From around 300, the number of athletes grew close to 800, and the number of coaches from less than 100 to 300, each one of them now under the PSC payroll.

Ramirez said he liked what he saw.

“Maganda (It’s nice). There was a great improvement,” he said after the meeting attended by new PSC commissioners Ramon Fernandez, Charles Maxey, Arnold Agustin and Fatima Celia Kiram.

Yet, the 66-year-old Ramirez said things could turn up better if the private sector comes in to throw its full support to Philippine sports.

“If we can tap the private sector there will be greater improvement. The government cannot do it alone. We need corporate support,” he told the press.

This early, the sportsman from Davao has gotten in touch with some members of the private sector, each one willing to help.

“I have a scheduled meeting with two members of the private sector this Saturday,” he said when he graced yesterday’s PSA Forum at Shakey’s Malate.

Ramirez said he will continue to reach out to the top officials of government-owned-and-controlled corporations like Pagcor, which remits as much as P50 million from its monthly gross income to the PSC, and Philracom.

“Then we will sit down with more members of the private sector,” said Ramirez, who was PSC chief when the Philippines hosted the 2005 SEA Games and won the overall title for the first time.

During that successful campaign, the private sector, through the initiatives of former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, contributed heavily and made sure the athletes had everything they needed in terms of training and preparation.  

Ramirez said sports officials, with the help of the private sector, must look forward to the 2017 SEA Games in Malaysia and the 2019 SEA Games to be held in Manila.

“The private sector can help take care of our athletes,” said the educator from Davao, referring to the old and tested Godfather scheme where a private corporation or individual can choose an individual athlete or a team to fund.

“Direct support,” said Ramirez.

The plan, he said, is simple and based on the directives from the incoming President. It includes strengthening sports programs in the countryside as well as grassroots programs.

Developing sports venues of international standard is also a must, and Ramirez said building a brand-new training center is on the table.

“Certainly,” he said of the project that may cost no less than P2 billion.

“We should have a decent sports facility,” Ramirez said, adding that whatever the outgoing administration saved the past six years can be used to fund the ambitions project.

“The proposed national training center should be seriously looked at,” he said.