CHED, PSC commit to the future

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) signed a landmark Memorandum of Agreement for the Holistic Development of Tertiary School Sports. CHED chairman J. Prospero de Vera and PSC chairman William Ramirez signed the agreement at the CHED auditorium Wednesday afternoon. The MOA is the product of a year of back and forth between the two agencies resulting from a visit by the latter.

“When I went to CHED, I was very surprised CHED had no sports involvement. It was very surprising that a fundamental aspect of higher education is not being attended to,” De Vera explains. “And when chairman Butch came over and had coffee, he had the same frustration, because he also has been trying to put together and design a sports development program for the grassroots. He also has to contend with the same problematic system. From the grassroots to high school, you have the Palarong Pambansa. But after that, there is no pathway going to higher education.”

It was a very enlightening conversation. Both chairmen found several mutual areas for mutual cooperation,

“We at the PSC have also been looking for ways to further our education,” Ramirez reveals. “A few of us already have Masters degrees in sports, but no doctorates yet. This would help us in our research and programs for Philippine sports in the future.”

“That is the strength of CHED: the ability to sit down with their equivalent ministries in other countries, and develop a collaboration system,” De Vera adds. “That is what PSC does not have.”

Ramirez asked if they could work together. PSC has all the activities, expertise and programs, but no links with the universities. CHED has links to the universities, but no sports programs. Sports is close to the heart of Ramirez, a career sportsman and coach, and De Vera, a lifelong athlete and sports parent. Both leaders also have the humility to admit that they don’t know everything, and the belief in relying on the wisdom of experts. This cuts down on costly mistakes and increases the number of viable programs.

The first goal under the MOA is to create a mechanism where government agencies and stakeholders in sports may regularly meet. This platform will open up the free exchange of ideas, experiences and information to craft long-lasting efficient programs to improve, expand and prolong careers of Filipinos who serve sports.