IRRITATING.
This was how Philippine Sports Commission officer-in-charge Ramon Fernandez described “swabbing,” or the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the Philsports Complex in Pasig City.
“Medyo nakakainis,” noted Fernandez, still sharp and spry at 66, after he and his wife Karla went through the test since. They arrived in Manila last Monday from Cebu City, which remains under strict lockdown because of the huge number of infections there.
“We are praying that the tests are negative because all that my wife and I did was just stay at home during the lockdown,” added the former four-time PBA MVP, who expects the results of their tests to be out in the next few days.
Fernandez said that he talked to one Malacanang official and was informed that “my appointment papers will be delivered to the Philsports Complex today.”
He will be the acting PSC chief after chairman Butch Ramirez went on leave last week to look after his wife, who underwent gallbladder surgery.
Fernandez said he still has to talk with Philippine Olympic Committee president and Rep. Bambol Tolentino, who is pushing for the resumption of training of the Olympic aspirants in combat sports such as boxing, taekwondo, fencing and karate.
“Di pa kami nag-uusap ni POC president Bambol about that issue,” he said, “hopefully we can talk soon about that matter because we want to help our Olympic hopefuls in their training.”
Fernandez said over the weekend that he wants to open the boxing gym at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex so that pro-bound and Olympic qualifier Felix Eumir Marcial can resume intensive training after being laid off for over three months due to the pandemic.
Fernandez said all national athletes will be required to undergo pre-testing before they resume their actual workouts.
“We will coordinate all of these activities with the Department of Health and the Inter-Agency Task Force in charge of the pandemic to ensure that the proper health standards such as physical distancing, thermal scanners and the wearing of masks is enforced before they can resume practice,” he said.
