KABUUANG P500 milyon ang inilaan ng Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) para sa grassroots program alinsunod sa mandato ni Pangulong President Rodrigo Duterte.
Ang nasabing halaga ay ginamit simula pa lamang noong taong 2018 hanggang sa unang bahagi ng 2019 bilang preparasyon sa nalalapit na 30th Southeast Asian Games.
Isiniwalat ni PSC Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez na halos umabot na sa P340 million ang nagastos noong sa mga nakaraang iba't ibang grassroots program kung saan sinuyod ng ahensiya ang buong Pilipinas upang mabigyan ng pagkakataon ang mga kabataan na malulong sa larangan ng sports noong nakaraang.
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Kasunod nito ay naragdagan pa ng kabuuang halaga ng P170 million ang nailaan ng PSC para sa nasabing programa buhat sa Enero ng 2019 hanggang Hunyo ngayong taon.
“It is government's commitment, as mandated to the PSC by President Duterte, to keep the people actively involved in sports. From children to citizens as old as I am, we all should have our own access to sports as the President and most members of his Cabinet do and have, from time to time,” pahayag ni Ramirez.
“It is for these projects that the PSC, through the very generous support of thPAGCOR and its chairman, Ms. Andrea Domingo, rehabilitated its major facilities, which by coincidence, will now also be used for the SEA Games after the Phisgoc had initially attempted to bring all the major sports in Clark and Subic,” aniya.
Siniguro ni Ramirez na ang mga pasilidad na ipinagawa gamit ang pondo na galing PAGCOR ay magagamit bago magsimula ang nasabing hosting ng biennial meet, lalo na ang mga venue ng PSC.
“The PSC is not just about funding the elite competitions where the more famous Filipino athletes continue to rise. It is President Duterte, himself, who mandated the PSC 'to bring sports to the periphery and involve the children," aniya.
Annie Abad
