Unified collegiate sports body up

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Sports Commission chairman William Ramirez has assured funding for the soon-to-be-formed group representing all the collegiate sports associations from around the country.

“We will help them with their needs. We will help in the funding,” said Ramirez at the close of the two-day assembly of more than a hundred representatives from different colleges and universities and sports associations.

The group that gathered at the Philsports Arena has agreed to form a unified collegiate athletic association.

They plan to approach the heads of the different organizations and call for another meeting next month so they could formalize the group, vote and install the officers, come up with a set of guidelines, craft their by-laws and draw up their initial plans and programs.

It’s not going to be easy to do things of this magnitude but the PSC chairman is confident that it’s a step in the right direction.

“This will strengthen the pyramid of our sports structure – from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Once formed, the unified body for collegiate sports will run it by themselves with funding from the PSC,” said Ramirez.

The Philippine Sports Institute, which has a seed money of P300 million, can help provide the funding for the program.

Ramirez said once in place and running, support from the private sector, headed by Presidential Adviser on Sports Dennis Uy, will come.

Rep. Mark Zambar and Conrado Estrella III attended the assembly earlier this week, and vowed full support from the Lower House.

The unified collegiate sports body, this early, has included sports research, scientific coaching and grassroots sports in their immediate plans.

Ramirez said it’s about time the PSC, which was created 27 years ago, seriously looked at collegiate sports as the bridge connecting grassroots sports and the elite level.

“I’m very happy with the assembly,” said Ramirez, who spoke for hours in front of the representatives from colleges, universities and sports associations from as far as Siquijor, Sultan Kudarat, Silliman, Cagayan de Oro, Aklan, Zamboanga, Laoag, Davao Oriental and Agusan del Sur.