A single COVID-19 infection will cause all planned training activities under a bubble to be halted.
This is why the Philippine Sports Commission is bringing in medical personnel who will watch over training of national athletes which is set to begin this January at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.
The presence of medical staffers from the PSC will make sure that all safety and health protocols that they have laid out will be followed.
“Dahil kapag isa lang ang ma-infect diyan, hinto na ang training. Para hindi mahinto, striktuhan na sa start pa lang,” said Ramirez.
The government sports agency is planning to begin the training of national athletes at continuous and regular pace in the first month of 2021.
The agency is making arrangement for a bubble-type of setup.
This will enable national athletes who are preparing for international meets to sharpen their skills after spending almost a year in lockdown.
“These athletes are veterans, they’re very disciplined athletes, and are role models for the country. Kayang-kaya naman nilang sundin iyung mga protocols,” added Ramirez.
Since March, many national athletes are either training virtually, and have done workouts while in their respective provinces with a more relaxed set of protocols.
The training activities will start off in boxing, karatedo and taekwondo, before national athletes from other disciplines will be allowed inside the Calamba bubble.
The agency is now making arrangements with businessman-sportsman Hans Sy on the use of the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.
The Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila and the PhilSports Complex in Pasig remain unavailable for such activities since March.
Both venues are still being use as quarantine facilities for COVID-19 positive patients.
The duration of the training bubble is set for 90 days.