Private venues will be tapped to hold training sessions, and possibly, competitions in athletics.
Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association president Philip Ella Juico said they are now considering this, now that many venues that are managed by the government are being used as quarantine facilities.
Juico said that among the venues they are looking at includes the ovals at the De La Salle University campus in Dasmarinas, Cavite, and Vermosa Sports Hub in Imus, Cavite.
“We are considering this, and I still have to talk to the La Salle brothers. As for Vermosa, it has been closed by Ayala Land. They have their advantage, and they also have their logistical problems,” said Juico.
In a Google Meet online interview, Juico said this is now likely to happen following his talks with National Training Director Marc Velasco of the Philippine Sports Commission.
Juico was informed that the Philsports complex is currently being tapped as a quarantine facility and monitoring for coronavirus patients and so are the venues inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
Plans to move the training venues in Cebu have been shelved since the province has been heavily hit by the pandemic.
“We will wait for July and see what comes up if we move from general community quarantine to modified community quarantine, or not,” added Juico.
The PATAFA has adopted policies that will embrace the new normal when it begins resuming activities and competitions in the last quarter of 2020.
With the 2020 Philippine national athletics championships most likely be held this December, athletes, coaches, educators and officials will be asked to observe numerous protocols, and safety and health measures during their activities.
For now, activities done within the athletics’ community are mostly online, while the athletes are under home quarantine.
The PATAFA discussed their guidelines with PSC right after the International Association of Athletics Federations gave the green light for all member countries to resume their activities by August.