IN response to the challenge posed by President Rodrigo R. Duterte enjoining the Philippine Sports Commission to widen its scope nationwide, different indigenous peoples groups in Mindanao will jumpstart the Sports Mapping Action Research Talent Identification (Smart ID) testing before the year ends as the Philippine Sports Institute goes full blast in its grassroots talent identification program.
President Duterte, during the awarding of cash incentives to 29th Southeast Asian Games medalists last Sept. 13, said: “I enjoin PSC to widen its scope and recruit nationwide. Look for them in non-traditional places and include members of the indigenous tribes and the out-of-school youth. Let’s give them a chance to hone their talents and live up to their fullest potentials.”
PSI deputy national training director Henry Daut, a survivor of the Marawi City seige, during the two-day PSI coordinators meeting that closed at the Philsports Complex Dorm G Lecture Hall in Pasig City yesterday, said that some 200 Physical Education educators from the Department of Education were already trained to conduct the Smart ID testing.
The trainers, according to him, underwent the “Smart ID train the trainers program” spearheaded by the Sports Mapping Action Research for Talent Technical Experts and Manpower (Smart Team). The trainers were from Cebu City (57), Puerto Princesa (60), Vigan (60) and Mindanao (35).
“We will have mapping this this year, identify schools and areas where we could conduct the testing. We will have the random testing first and we will start with the IPs, identifying which tribes from particular areas. Hindi na tayo sa cities, doon tayo sa mga probinsya, mga liblib na lugar,” Daut said, adding that the Ata-Manobos of Talaingod, Davao del Norte will be included.
He also said that talent ID testing will also be done among out-of-school youth in partnership with the local government units and among students through the Department of Eduation.
Identified potential kids will then be placed in regional training centers like in Davao del Norte, Leyte and Vigan so they don’t have to all come in Manila to be trained and developed. Thus, they will not be uprooted from their communities and will stay closer to their homes.
PSC chairman William “Butch” Ramirez, however, said they will eye more regional training centers through LGU partnerships to accommodate more children.
But he reiterated to coordinators, “Focus lang tayo sa grassroots. Identify lang tayo ng atleta at paaralin natin at alagaan natin. We need to identify focus sports to maximize limited resources. As the PSC Board craft policies, you are the ones on the ground. You play a vital role to this collaboration.”
PSC Commissioner Charles Raymond A. Maxey and PSI national training director Marc Edward Velasco were also present during the meeting that tackled the new PSI structure, programs and activities, manual of facilitators for consultative conference, Philippine Youth Sports Volunteer Ate/Kuya Project and Training, software program for registration and program planning by region.