NATIONAL sports associations, which will not be productive in the coming 2017 Southeast Asian Games, should consider looking for private sponsors and corporate backers to support their programs.
Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez said this after he and members of the board of commissioners concluded a three-day conference with officials of various national sports associations at the Tagaytay Highlands.
Ramirez said that once the SEA Games is over, the PSC will focus on at least 10 productive NSAs.
He lauded the example made by NSAs like the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and the Philippine Taekwondo Association.
The three NSAs, according to Ramirez, have not relied much on government support and managed to get the private sector and their corporate backers deeply involved in their programs.
“The NSAs have to look deeper into their organization and younger people who can help them in their research, marketing and information technology and not depend totally on government because money is not enough, especially when we are going to focus on 10 to 20 sports. They should follow the support track of track and field, SBP and taekwondo,” said Ramirez.
Ramirez talked about the involvement of the private sector and the corporations involved in their programs with heads of NSAs like PATAFA chief and former PSC Chairman Philip Ella Juico present.
Juico, who was acknowledged for being the first chairman who pushed for the creation of the Philippine Sports Institute during his time with the PSC, was one of the NSA heads present along with gymnastics’ Cynthia Carrion, squash’s Robert Bachman and shooting’s Richard Fernandez.
The PSC chief told the NSAs that the corporations and the private sector should also have big roles in the programs of the NSAs, and not just government. Peter Atencio
Leaders of 41 NSAs were present,while four from swimming, fencing, water skiing, sailing and figure skating were not around.
Ramirez discussed the relaunching of the PSI on Jan. 16, and with it a new sports science building will rise at the Philsports Complex in Pasig City as well.
This will replace the old Philippine Center for Sports Medicine bldg. at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Vito Cruz, Manila.
New and modern facilities and equipment worth around P50-million are going to be purchased, and put in a high performance training center that will be placed under the supervision of National Training Director Marc Velasco.
These equipment will be made available to athletes who will train in the 12 regional training center that will be established in the provinces.
He added that the facilities will be ready by next year, and in time for the country’s preparation for the 2018 Asian Games, and the Tokyo Olympics.