PSC sets directives amid crisis

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Sports Commission has issued new policy directives in the face of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, setting international travel restrictions for members of the national pool and limiting access at Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila and PhilSports in Pasig.

As the COVID-19 crisis rages, organizers of domestic tournaments and activities also exercised prudence and postponed their events yesterday.

The Philippine Superliga suspended play in the Grand Prix beginning Saturday until further notice, abandoning earlier plans to hold games behind closed doors; Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. approved the cancellation of tournaments; and the Chooks-to-Go National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) National Finals originally set March 21-27 at MOA Arena was moved to April 20-26 in the same venue.

In a memo issued by officer-in-charge Celia Kiram yesterday, the PSC said it was restricting athletes and coaches as well as PSC officials and employees from travelling overseas from March 14 to April 14.

“Should there be emergency and important travel which can not be postponed, especially participation in international competitions to countries with confirmed cases of COVID-19, requests will be subject to review by the PSC Board,” it said.

“For trips relative to Olympic qualifying events, requests must be endorsed first by the Chef de Mission. Officials of the NSAs are encouraged to ensure the welfare and well-being of the national athletes and coaches in making requests for international competitions,” it added.

The PSC also ordered returning Team Philippine members to go on two-week self-quarantine.

“All national athletes and coaches coming from foreign travel are required to immediately have a self-quarantine at their own homes or preventive rest at the RMSC North and South Dormitories for 14 days upon their return,” it said.

The commission’s Medical and Scientific Athletes Services (MSAS) is tasked to ensure and issue guidelines for the self-quarantine of the national athletes and coaches as well as traveling PSC officials and employees in coordination with the Department of Health (DOH) for proper monitoring and reporting.

Meanwhile, the PSC said access to RMSC and PhilSports will be limited.

“All PSC officials and employees, national training pool members (athletes and coaches), construction workers/contractors of the ongoing infrastructure projects are the only ones allowed to enter the vicinity of both the RMSC (Manila) and the PhilSports Complex (Pasig),” it said. “Aligned with this, only visitors with urgent and official business concern/s are allowed to enter.”

Activities in the facilities will be on hold.