Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richard Bachmann commended the efforts of the Private Schools Athletics Association, the State Colleges and Universities Athletics Association, and the Palarong Pambansa for bringing sporting platforms for young athletes nationwide.
“Programs like this by PRISAA or SCUAA, and the Palarong Pambansa thru DepEd help us empower our message and encourage potential athletes to never stop dreaming,” Bachmann said.
He made the commendation during the National Grassroots Sports Summit Workshop hosted by the Private Schools Athletic Association – Region 3 held in Angeles University Foundation in Pampanga.
The summit, which gathered sports leaders from various educational institutions of the region, is among the series of PSC’s visitations to several cities and provinces as part of its partnership with PRISAA as one of its arms in grassroots sports development in a pact was sealed last January in Legazpi City, Albay.
Bachmann also expressed his eagerness to the partners involved like the PRISAA in ensuring the future of the agency’s staple grassroots programs such as the Batang Pinoy and Philippine National Games.
“I believe that Central Luzon may continue producing outstanding and determined athletes for the future,” he added.
The newly-appointed regional director of the Commission on Higher Education Region 3 in Dr. Lora Yusi stressed that the grassroots sports development will be promoted among colleges and universities.
“Grassroots sports development is what we basically need at the moment. Thank you to Chairman Richard Bachmann and the PSC, together, we can produce more athletes and we can make a difference in developing the grassroots sports within the region,” Yusi said.
Together with Bachmann at the summit were Comm. Edward Hayco, who oversees grassroots initiative programs and Comm. Matthew ‘Fritz’ Gaston. They were welcomed by hosts PRISAA Region 3 President Abraham Cruz and Vice President Jeffrey Jervoso.
The summit allowed sports leaders of the region to ask and raise concerns directly to PSC officials. The talks covered discussions such as the grassroots initiatives in Iloilo City, the overview of Philippine Sports and its legal basis, PWD grassroots, and presentation of the model which discovered Gilas Pilipinas bigman June Mar Fajardo.