VOLUME 2 No. 4 | OCT - DEC 2017 MANILA, PHILIPPINES

PHILIPPINE SPORTS COMMISSION

NEWSMAGAZINE

Uplifting Philippine Sports

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PSC PARTNERS WITH US SPORTS ACADEMY PAGE 4

NATIONAL CONSULTATIVE MEETING FOR COLLEGIATE SPORTS PAGE 14

SPORTS PSC-PSI UNESCO IN FOCUS: COLLABORATION: LAWN SPORTS AND THE BALLS SDGS YOUTH FUNSHOP October - December 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE 1 PAGE 6

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EDITORIAL

MILESTONE YEAR THE year 2017 is indeed worth reminiscing. At least 10,000 children from 12 cities and provinces in the country participated in the Children’s Games, including internally displaced kids from war-torn Marawi City, that was spearheaded by the Philippine Sports Commission-Philippine Sports Institute starting May to November this year. Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez said, “We have 10,000 children playing with us since we launched the Children’s Games that has been cited by Unesco. We made 10,000 children happy and Unesco appreciated us for that. ” Different editions of the Children’s Games, the centerpiece of the Sports for Peace program of the PSC-PSI, were conducted in Baguio City, Benguet, Laoag, Ilocos Norte and Bontoc in Luzon with some 3,500 participants as well as in Naga, Cebu, Carcar and mountain areas in the Visayas with 4,200 delegates and Davao City and Iligan City in Mindanao that had a total turnout of 2,300 children. Aside from promoting the children’s right to play, mentors were also empowered as a total of 23 grassroots coaching seminars were held since January in Basista, Pangasinan; Navotas City; Tagum City; Butuan City; Marawi City; Laoag, Ilocos Norte; Occidental Mindoro; Muntinlupa City; Vigan; Abra; Isabela, Kalinga, Ifugao;

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Dagupan City; Malolos, Bulacan; Quirino; Aurora; Abra; Cavite; Camarines Sur; Surigao del Norte; and Legazpi City. Smart Mapping Action Research Talent (Smart) ID Train the Trainers programs were also conducted in Tagum City, Puerto Princesa City, Vigan and Cebu City while six consultative meetings were done in Marawi City, Occidental Mindoro, Surigao del Norte, Abra, Laoag and Cavite. As PSC took to heart President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s directive to bring grassroots sports to every Filipino, the national sports agency also supported the government’s campaign against illegal drugs through a drug recovery program in Basista, Pangasinan; anti-drug campaign in Navotas City and Palaro Kontra Droga at Smokey Mountain in Tondo, Manila. The rest of this year’s accomplishments of the PSC are featured in this edition of the magazine. As we end this year, we thank the Lord for His many blessings and His guidance and protection. Thank you all, stakeholders of Philippine Sports, for your invaluable efforts to push our programs forward. We thank President Duterte for his unwavering support to all Filipino athletes. Have a blessed New Year ahead!

the CHAIRMAN speaks As we finally close the chapter of 2017, the PSC News Magazine is leaving you some good memories to remember. In this edition will be a variety of topics that marked milestones in the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) as a national sports agency as well as in the lives of Filipino athletes, amateurs and elites alike. Featured programs are the Batang Pinoy qualifiers held in Vigan and Dumaguete cities, giving young athletes in Luzon and the Visayas opportunities to compete as well as giving small municipalities, cities and provinces a chance to also be on the same stage as those highly-urbanized cities who fielded their delegations. The PSC Pacquiao Cup, a nationwide grassroots boxing program that was also launched in General Santos City, also takes the spotlight along with the PSC and Philippine Sports Institute’s agreement with the United States Sports Academy. Senator Manny Pacquiao’s visit at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, inspiring story of Philippine long jump queen Elma Muros, lawn balls as focus sport, national consultative meeting on collegiate sports, PSC-NSAs budget hearing are also tackled in this wrap edition. Thank you for your continued interest to know your national sports agency and the programs we wish to spread across the country as mandated by our President Rodrigo R. Duterte. Until next year. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Mabuhay ang Atletang Pilipino! October - December 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE

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PSC PARTNERS WITH US SPORTS ACADEMY by MYLENE VELASCO – LEYBA

“ The Philippine Sports Institute and the United States Sports Academy program will bring sports education to a new level. ” -PSC Chairman William I. Ramirez “The Philippine Sports Institute and the United States Sports Academy program will bring sports education to a new level.” PSC Chairman William Ramirez When the Protocol for Cooperation between the Philippine Sports Commission and the United States Sports Academy (USSA) was forged on 25 October 2017, “America’s Sports University” will partner with the top government ports body. Education and training curricula will be provided to individuals and groups in consultation with the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Department of the interior and the Local Government (DILG), the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and its National Sports Associations (NSAs). Further, USSA will review and submit recommendations with respect to the training employed by the PSC and its affiliates, notably the Philippine Sports Institute as the national grassroots arm in the conduct of its sports initiatives. It will assess and recommend on human performance research and the sports medicine for the total development of the Filipino athlete. PSC and the USSA will work on cultural exchanges related to sports including Olympism, sports art, youth activities, literature, history, museum, library and other sports archives. The PSC-PSI-USSA Sports Education program will be launched on August 2018. Courses offered are the following: • International Certificate and Diploma in Sports Management • International Certificate and Diploma in Sports Coaching • International Certificate and Diploma in Physical Education and Sports Coaching

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WOMEN IN UNIFORM ON MILITARY FUN RUN AND AERO EXERCISES The PSC recently held fun runs and aero exercises as part of its gender and development initiative. The program was headed by the Office of Commissioner Celia H. Kiram, together with the different AFP Major Services such as Army, Airforce, Navy and Marines. It aimed to encourage the participation of military women in sports in order to become healthy and physically fit, create camaraderie, unity and brotherhood through sports amongst the military personnel in different services, create and atmosphere of peace through sports amongst the uniformed personnel given the present situation they face in the battlefields, and help empower women through sports. The event had four legs starting from the Zumba and Fun Run held in July 1 and 2 respectively. The second leg was held last August 5 to 6, followed by the third leg in September 9 to 10. The Women’s Fun Run and Zumba held its finals last October 7 to 8. October - December 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE

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Sports IN FOCUS

LAWN BOWLS by CHARIZA FE V. DE VERA

Want to enjoy sports but you are not crazy for vigorous workouts? Try playing lawn bowls. This sport may not be as popular as basketball or volleyball but our national team has been making podium finishes in international competitions, we should start giving it more attention. Researching it and going through its rules in an effort to have a go at it, I found its mechanics easy to understand making it a sport that may be taken up by all ages. Lawn bowls is a target sport played on a ‘bowling green” which is usually a grassy flat surface. There are also synthetic surfaces. The objective of the game is to roll the bowls to as near as possible to the “jack” (the white ball that is used as an aim to play; the basis of point scoring). There is a similarity to Bowling. Imagine doing bowling on grass with a bigger version the balls of another sport, Billiards. A point is

given to the player/team whose bowl is closest to the jack at the “end” or simply the end of round. Sounds simple enough, right? The only work out is the player has to walk really far and bend up and down multiple times when playing this sport.

World Bowls is the recognized International Federation for Lawn Bowls. It has 54-member countries across the globe, one of which is the Philippine Lawn Bowls Association In the last year’s Southeast Asian Games, our very own lawn bowlers bagged six medals. Our national team practices in Ausworld, Zeppelin Street, Hensonville, Angeles City, Pampanga. Ronalyn Greenless is one the known lawn ballers in the country. She has steered her team to many championships as its playing head coach. According to the British Heart Foundation’s Heart Matters Magazine, lawn bowls is generally a sport for everyone- regardless of age, sex or physical ability. It is commonly played by retirees in different countries but is vastly played by children and youth, too. Anyone who will play this will surely enjoy. Try it!

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Uplifting Philippine Sports by JOASH DAVID L. RICANOR

Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao vowed to push for additional budget allocation for the Philippine Sports Commission and support the rehabilitation of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex. The eight-division world boxing champion committed this last December 12 during the press conference of the PSC-Pacquiao Amateur Boxing Cup, a joint grassroots sports program for amateur boxers in the country. “It’s obvious that there’s a lot of things to be done. Marami na talagang dapat ayusin,” said Pacquiao after strolling around the complex alongside PSC Chairman William Ramirez, Board of Commissioners and Executive Director Atty. Sannah Frivaldo. Pacquiao, who is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, also visited the newly-built PSC sports museum where he donated signed memorabilia. He advised that the museum “would be best to put up in front, so everybody can see.” “With the current budget of the PSC standing at P235 million, an additional budget for 2018 would give boost for the renovation of the RMSC,” concluded Ramirez. Sen. Pacquiao also took time to meet some of the national athletes and gave financial assistance to boxers and coaches present around the 8.4-hectare sports complex. The Mindanao preliminary round of the PSC-Pacquiao Amateur Boxing Cup will start on Saturday, December 16 at Pacquiao’s hometown General Santos City.

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Partnering for the future of sports by CHARIZA FE V. DE VERA

As part of the agency’s mandate to support and give assistance to the accredited national sports associations, the Board called a one-on-one meeting with the Presidents and Secretaries General of national sports association (NSAs) in the last quarter of this year.. The Board scheduled meetings with over 40 various NSAs from October 23 to the first week of December in Philsports Complex, Pasig City.

“an opportunity to get updated with our NSA partners.”

The series of Plans and Program Meetings were attended by Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez, Commissioners Celia Kiram, Ramon Fernandez, Charles Raymond Maxey and Arnold Agustin, Acting Deputy Executive Director - Bureau on Coordinating Secretariat and Support Services Rachel Dumuk, Deputy Executive Director - Bureau on Administrative, Finance and Management Services Merlita Ibay and Chief of Staff Dino Badilla. PSC Chairman William I. Ramirez cited this as “an opportunity to get updated with our NSA partners.” The main objective of the meetings is to discuss the 2018 plans and programs of each NSA, get updates on their athletes’ performance, concerns and requirements and of course, NSAs budget proposal for 2018. “Through this, we heard each NSA’s stories, first hand,” said Chairman Ramirez, adding “every sport has unique requirements and challenges and this helps us understand that more. The Board also sought the help of the NSAs to scout for potentials, train and produce high-performing athletes and conduct more grassroots sports program for the community. Chairman Ramirez thanked each NSA, reminding them that they are the PSC’s partners not only in elite sports but also sports development in the grassroots level, “we need to take care of our elite, but we have to be mindful of our potentials. We have to nurture them to the best we can.”

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15TH WORLD XIANGQI CHAMPIONSHIPS The World Xiangqi Championships is a prestigious international tournament participated in by various grandmasters from different countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, East Malaysia, Macau, Thailand, United States of America, France, Japan, and many more. This year, the PSC, in partnership with the Philippine Xiangqi Federation conducted the event from November 13 to 18 at the Manila Hotel.

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Sports

icon

IN FOCUS

Leap of a Champion by JOASH DAVID L. RICANOR

It was her repeated hobby of “jumping over plants” in the farming fields of Magdiwang, Sibuyan Island, in the province of Romblon, where Elma Muros started her triumphant journey in Philippine athletics. “Nagsimula ako sa Romblon, at sa paglalaro ko sa school noong elementary ako, nakitaan nila ako ng galling sa pagtalon… Kapag naghahabulan sa P.E., tinatalon ko ang bakod kapag malapit na ko maabutan, ‘yon na pala ang tinatawag na long jump,” explained Elma. Raised sixth in the brood of nine, Elma, at age 14, debuted at the Southern Tagalog Regional Athletic Association (STRAA) and caught the attention of present sports scouters from different local government agencies. After the games, Elma took her talents to Rizal province and was handpicked by then Governor Isidro Rodriguez, where the promising youngster became a student-athlete at Roosevelt College. Joining the powerhouse squad of the province, Muros participated in numerous editions of Palarong Pambansa, and was discovered by then project Gintong Alay sports director Michael Keon. In 1981, the same year after joining the elite sports program of the Marcos regime, Muros became the youngest Filipino athlete to ever set foot in the Southeast Asian Games. Elma teamed up with veteran Lorena Morcilla, 17-year-old Lydia de Vega and 16-year-old Perla Balatucan to capture the silver medal in the 4x100m relay. It was the start of a dominating era for women in Philippine athletics. Elma was flawless, displaying unique runs and leaps year after year, that propelled her SEA Games accolades to a jaw-dropping eight long jump titles and 15 gold medal finish – a record she jointly holds with Myanmar’s Jennifer Tin Lay. In 1988, Elma took one of her biggest leaps in life. At age 21, she married Mindanaoan sport scholar Jorge “Jojo” Posadas. While many thought it would be the end of her stunning career, Elma knew the love for the sport grew with her husband’s support. Muros-Posadas returned with a bronze medal in the 1990 Beijing Asian Games 400-meter hurdles and another bronze in the 1997 Hiroshima Asiad long jump. She also represented the country at the 1984 Los Angeles and 1996 Atlanta Olympics. It was an unstoppable run, Muros-Posadas was hailed by many as the “Iron Woman” of Philippine sports. “Hanggat maaari wala akong sinasayang na oras… dumaan din ako sa hirap ng buhay. Kung hindi mo pahalagahan, wala kang patutunguhan,” said Muros, who was also bestowed the 1996 “Athlete of the Year” award by Sports Communications and Organization of the Philippines (SCOOP) and the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA). Elma concluded her astonishing career with a final bronze medal at the 2001 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur. She had won more than 200 medals at the time. “Sacrifice pero challenging. iyong hirap ng buhay bilang isang atleta, doon mo makikita ang determinasyon mo sa pagsubok ng buhay,” added the 51-year-old legend. After her celebrated career, Muros-Posadas did not actually leave the athletics scene. Among the many things she does, she took on the role of the Philippine Sports Institute’s Luzon Regional Coordinator, to inspire young with her life and impart knowledge of the sport to younger athletes. “Sa mga athletes, maging masipag sila, matiyaga, maging disiplinado at respetado, ‘wag ma-involve sa droga at magtapos sa pagaaral dahil yung career natin sa athletics o sa ano mang sports, ay may katapusan,” concluded the heptathlon queen. She took a chance, leaped and succeeded. The historic run of Elma Muros-Posadas’ phenomenal career will forever serve as an inspiration to many generations to come.

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PSC/PSI-UNESCO COLLABORATION: Sport and the SDGs Youth Funshop by KRISTINE AGAPE JAVIER Last September 22, 2017, a meeting was held between Philippine Sports Commission represented by Mr. Marc Velasco, Asian Development Bank, and the representatives from United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The meeting focused on the preparations for the Sports and the SDGs Youth “funshop” held in Manila. It was noted in the meeting that the event does not represent the main aim of UNESCO’s engagement with the PSC; it is rather an important milestone in the structured collaboration UNESCO is building on sport policy guidance and advice.

UNESCO considers the Philippines as a leader in the implementation of Kazan Action Plan.

The Sport and the SDGs ‘funshop’ was specially designed to enhance meaningful youth participation in sport policy design, foster cooperation across the region and make the case for sport as an important development tool.

The ‘funshop’ happened on November 8 to 10, 2018 in PhilSports, Pasig City and participated by a total of 32 delegates from the different ASEAN regions.



The foreign delegates were very happy and expressed their appreciation to the PSC and the Technical Working Group during their short stay in the Philippines.



“It was an excellent experience working with the PSC.”, Caroline Baxter Tresise of UNSECO said.

PSC-Pacquiao Amateur Boxing Cup by Joash David L. Ricanor

The Philippine Sports Commission along with eight-division world boxing champion now Senator Manny Pacquiao and the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines will join forces to find the country’s next boxing talent in the PSC-Pacquiao Amateur Boxing Cup on December 16 and 17 in General Santos City. The boxing cup is a weekend-long tournament that will go across the country’s region to scout potential amateur boxers with a chance to be included in the national pool of boxers. “I believe that we can discover good boxers that can compete in the Olympics, SEA and Asian games through this tournament of the PSC,” said Pacquiao in the tourney’s press conference last December 12. “The project will call for the nationwide development of the interest and participation in boxing as a sport. The ultimate goal is to tap promising boxers who will show potential during the competition,” added Ramirez. Boxers will compete through 19 weight classes including pin weight (44-46kg), light flyweight (48kg), flyweight (50kg), light bantamweight (52kg) and bantamweight (54kg) for the Junior Boys and Girls Division. Youth Boys Division will have light flyweight (46-49kg), flyweight (52kg), bantamweight (56kg), lightweight (60kg) and light welterweight (64kg) while Youth Girls Division will feature light flyweight (45-48kg), flyweight (51kg), bantamweight (54kg) at featherweight (57kg). Participants ages 15 to 16, under the Junior Boys and Girls Division will play on three 2-minute rounds while sluggers age 17 to 18 on Youth Boys and Girls Division are set to fight three 3-minute rounds. “Knock-out system will be used in the cup, that will also follow AIBA Open Boxing rules; with fights being decided by a 10-point-must scoring system,” as per competition’s supervising technical director Rogelio Fortaleza. Front-runners from preliminary, qualifying and play-off rounds will return to the Tuna capital for the national championships on May 5, 2018.

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NATIONAL CONSULTATIVE MEETING FOR COLLEGIATE SPORTS by KRISTINE AGAPE JAVIER

In November of 2016, an intersection conversation was held at the Diamond Hotel, Manila where fourteen athletic associations raised their respective concerns and discussed potential solutions with the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC). Issues tackled were representation of schools and athletes in national and international competitions, grassroots sports development in schools and the trend of foreign coaches and athletes, and linkages among different athletic associations. As a follow up, the National Consultative Meeting for Collegiate Sports (NCMCS), with the support of various guests and officials from different government institutions, aimed to expound on the previous discussions and foster collaborations among collegiate athletic associations, government officials, and the PSC, including the creation of a federation of collegiate sports associations. The NCMCS was held last October 17 to 18, 2017 at the Multi-Purpose Area, PhilSports, Pasig City. The meeting was attended by eighty (80) participants composed of local officials, university presidents, athletic/sports directors, secretaries and chairmen of several athletic associations, and representatives of some local government units. “Unity is always key,” said PSC Chairman William I. Ramirez. This was seconded by all participants. Former PSC Chairman Rey Loyzaga along with other participants suggested a unified calendar of activities to avoid clashes in schedules and make it easy on eveeyone. They had workshops regarding the current state of school sports in each of their respective geographical locations and brainstormed ideas regarding programs and initiatives to promote grassroots sports among their communities. Future plans and activities were discussed as well.

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PSC In The Community

CLEAN-UP DRIVE 2017

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) also puts as a priority its corporate social responsibility aside from adhering to its mandate of developing and promoting grassroots sports throughout the country. In line with this, the Agency, in coordination with the Department of Public Service (DPS) of the City of Manila, spearheaded a clean-up drive last December 21 from 6:00-9:00 AM. PSC officials, employees, national athletes and coaches all worked together in their respective stations along Manila Bay, starting from the US Embassy catch basin all the way to the Baywalk sunset market.

EDITORIAL BOARD CHAIRMAN William I. Ramirez COMMISSIONERS Arnold A. Agustin Ramon S. Fernandez Celia H. Kiram Charles Raymond A. Maxey EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Atty. Sannah B. Frivaldo The PSC Newsmagazine is the official quarterly publication of the Philippine Sports Commission with editorial office at RMSC Pablo Ocampo Sr. St. Malate, Manila Philippines. 1004. The editors welcome sports stories from contributors from all over the country. Please send your articles with your name, address and contact number to [email protected]

EDITORIAL STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Marc Edward D. Velasco MANAGING EDITOR Malyn P. Bamba ASSOCIATE EDITORS Michelle S. Balunan Karlo Paolo R. Pates WRITERS Chariza Fe V. De Vera Joash David L. Ricanor Kristine Agape Javier Mylene V. Leyba ART DIRECTOR Christopher Laurence M. Realogio

CONTRIBUTING WRITER Marianne S. Abalayan CONSULTING EDITORS Prof. Serg Opena Prof. Ed Fernandez Prof. Gemima Valderrama

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PHILIPPINE SPORTS COMMISSION

NEWSMAGAZINE

President Duterte's marching orders were clear, bring sports to the farthest end of the country. Chairman William I. Ramirez Philippine Sports Commission

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