STATE universities and colleges are keen in joining the grassroots sports project in collaboration with the Philippine Sports Commission and the Private Schools Athletic Association after the National Grassroots Sports Summit held at the Josefina H. Cerilles State College in Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur last Wednesday.
“This is a welcome development for state colleges and universities that can be a part of the extension program of our respective schools,” said Prof. Manuel Paster Jr. of the 35-member Mindanao Association of State Tertiary Schools following the meeting.
“We are fortunate to be part of this collaboration because most state universities and colleges in the Philippines have the facilities, equipment and expertise to do the grassroots program,” added the sports director of the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines based in Cagayan de Oro City.
Paster said that even MASTS president Dr. Nelson Cabral, who graced the whole-day workshop, of the Zamboanga Peninsula Polytechnic State University was receptive to the initiative, adding a draft of the Memorandum of Agreement regarding the proposal was also sent to their board for approval.
“Grassroots may not be glamorous like other programs, but it is meaningful, inspiring and transformational for our underprivileged youth,” PSC Commissioner Edward Hayco pointed out during the meeting.
“You can just be an ordinary coach, but you can still produce a Hidylin Diaz. That is the purpose of this undertaking here,” added Hayco, whose own thriving grassroots sports programs during his time as Cebu City Sports Commission chairman have become models to emulate.
Among the products of his program were weightlifters and Tokyo Olympian and Hangzhou Asian Games bronze medalist Elreen Ann Ando and Jose Fabuar Ceniza, who are both striving to make it to the Paris Olympic Games.
“We also learned a lot from Commissioner Hayco because of his grassroots sports advocacy in Cebu City until today. We are inspired to do the same in our localities,” said Paster after their interaction with the PSC official.
Hayco said the one of the meeting’s goals is also to replicate the successful grassroots sports program in Zamboanga City of PRISAA executive director and now PSC consultant Prof. Elbert Atilano, who is credited for discovering and nurturing Tokyo Olympic Games gold medalist Diaz.
Even Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, Senate Sports Committee chair, realized the significance of state universities and colleges joining the grassroots sports bandwagon.
“Your population of 500,000 students underscores your strategic influence. In the realm of sports in across all six regions of Mindanao,” Go said in his taped address to the participants.