PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has been invited as keynote speaker during the Philippine Sports Institute (PSI) launching slated at 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on January 16 at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
PSI national training director Marc Edward Velasco bared this in a recent phone interview with SunStar Davao.
He said the launch was originally set on January 17 but had to be moved a day early to accommodate the availability of the president.
A presentation on the Philippine Sports Commission's 26 years will be showcased as well as a presentation of the PSI as the highlight of the event.
Sports stakeholders in the country are expected to witness the launch that will usher in the new era of Philippine sports.
The PSI will be located at the PhilSports Complex in Pasig City with a sports science complex that will house a state-of-the art gym that will showcase all brand new equipment. The gym, according to Velasco, is already in the pipeline and will be completed before the Southeast Asian Games.
There will also be two adjacent buildings for sports medicine and sports science.
Velasco said the PSI will focus on grassroots sports development in 2017 as it will identify areas and structures and forge partnerships with local government units (LGUs).
The 10 regional training centers, however, will have yet to be identified. He only bared five regional training centers so far. These are Davao del Norte, Pagadian City, Leyte, Ilocos Norte, and Bicol Region.
These areas, according to Velasco, have existing sports facilities and their LGUs are willing and capable to put up a sports academy of their own.
“Saka nalang natin i-identify ang mga sports per training center (We will identify what sports per training center later on). We will help LGUs set up their training center, magpapadala kami ng mga (we will send) expert trainers on sports science and fund their training camps where foreign coaches will be hired for short-term. Local coaches na magpapatuloy sa training ng mga bata (who will continue the training of the children),” Velasco said.
He clarified though that PSI will not build the sports facilities but will assist in the maintenance of these facilities.
With sports science and educated coaches, Velasco said grassroots athletes' performance will level up.