Sports exec: Asian can excel in 10 sports

LINGAYEN -- Asian athletes can excel in 10 sport events but only five of them are being played in Palarong Pambansa, the country's major sporting event, which showcases local sports talents coming from various regions.

Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Commissioner Jose Luis Gomez said the 10 sporting events include boxing, taekwondo, wrestling, weight lifting, archery, wushu, bowling, billiards, athletics and swimming.

Gomez revealed this during the 2012 post Palarong Pambansa conference and workshop on the review and revision of Palarong Pambansa manual. The activity being held at the Capitol Resort here started on July 9 and will end on July 13.

"There are a lot of things that should be changed to make Palaro become more responsive to youth sports," Gomez said.

He said that since Palarong Pambansa is a venue for talent identification, sports development must be strengthened first at the grassroots level.

He urged the local officials and members of the academe to work closely with the National Government to ensure the success of the "sports for all" program.

"We have a population of 90 million people and 70 million do not exercise at all," Gomez said, as he cited the lessening number of Filipino kids getting involved in sports.

He said the key to a successful grassroots sports development program is the establishment of regional training centers where skills of youth athletes would be effectively monitored through a data-based system.

Education Assistant Secretary for Legal and Legislative Affairs Tonisito Umali said the conference and workshop on the Palarong Pambansa manual aims to come up with a rationalization plan to improve the country's sports program.

The long-term plan is to eventually make Palarong Pambansa a "breeding ground for potential athletes."

Umali, who is also the Officer-in-Charge of School Sports Development Program, added that the development of off-classes athletic training program is an effective approach to improve Philippine sports and make local athletes to be at par with other athletes in the Asian region.

Meanwhile, the two officials commended the Provincial Government of Pangasinan for the hosting of the Palarong Pambansa 2012 last May. "It was one of the best if not the best Palaro ever held."

In response, Provincial Administrator Rafael Baraan said that Palarong Pambansa 2012 was a fulfilling experience for Pangasinenses especially after receiving positive feedbacks from officials and delegations of the national game.

"The Provincial Government under the leadership of Governor Amado T. Espino Jr. will continue to support Palarong Pambansa as we vow to help develop sports in the country," Baraan said.

He said the Provincial Government will put up a sports academy that will serve as training ground not only for Pangasinan athletes but for other athletes coming from different provinces.

The topics included in the weeklong conference are: Setting the Context: Timeline (Overview of the Workshop: Objectives and Process), Strategic Planning: SSEAU-School Sports Program, Post Palaro Evaluation, Presentation of the Final Post Palaro Evaluation Report, Review of Palarong Pambansa Manual, Writeshop on the Revision of Palarong Pambansa Manual.

There will also be output presentation and critiquing, discussion on the proposed revisions on the technical guidelines of some Palaro sports events, workshop synthesis, and presentation of 2012-2013 schedule of activities. (Sunnex)