Higher calling

This week, a turning point in Philippine sports came, and its impact will hopefully be felt well into the next decades. The Philippine Sports Institute (PSI), the educational arm of the Philippine Sports Commission, was formally launched with a whole-day congregation of almost 400 sports stakeholders from government and the private sector, representing Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.

Originally established in 1996 as the Philippine National Institute of Sports and renamed two years ago, the PSI is basically a school wherein all research, education and resources in sports will be made available to the general public. The PSC has initially set aside P20 million as seed capital, and is asking the private sector to help with the P30 million to make the PSI fully operational.

“This is really a dream come true for us at the PSC,” said PSC chair William Ramirez, who has been working on this project since he became chairman three years ago. “As an educator, I am glad that we will now be able to provide our athletes, coaches and sports officials educational material at par with other countries that are world champions in sports.”

The day began with presentations of the vision of the PSI, and promises of support from Sen. Gregorio Honasan, who vowed to work for a greater sports budget from both houses of congress. Rep. Monico Puentevella, the new chairman of the Philippine Olympic Committee, also attended as a sign of his support from the project. In the afternoon, Ramirez and his commissioners formally inaugurated the Manuel V. Pangilinan National Sports Library and Resource Center, named after the PLDT head who has promised to support the PSI.

“We have already received millions of pesos worth of books and audio-visual materials,” says PSI director and professor Henry Daut.

“The next shipment has already arrived, and should clear customs within the week.”

The initial shipment, made possible by grants from Australian and other foreign sports learning institutes, is already impressive, with rare sports books and training videos for many sports, including even the fundamentals of taping up athletes form competition and officiating. The PSC has formed alliances with the International Olympic Committee and sports agencies from Australia, the US, England, Cuba, Spain, Singapore, Romania, Russia and Yugoslavia.

The library also has 30 computer terminals for online research, and lecture rooms for its in-house and visiting professors. The main facility is housed on the second and fourth floors of the PSC building at the PhilSports Complex, sandwiching the Philippine Olympic Committee and above the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas headquarters.

In addition, the library has plunked down a hefty annual subscription of more than P680,000 to SPORTDiscus, the largest and most comprehensive source of sports journals on the Internet. Affiliation with the PSI will give an organization use of this resource, as well.

The PSI will also be offering doctoral programs and masteral programs, such as an MS degree in Sports Science, Sports Management, Leisure and Sports Tourism, Wellness and Lifestyle Management. Certificate courses will also be given sports-related fields from management to marketing, journalism, fund-raising, and facilities management. This will also allow those whose careers in sports as athletes or coaches are winding down to further their learning and contribute more to the sports community.

“The learning never ends,” Ramirez continues. “Where does an athlete learn to coach? Where does a coach learn to manage? Where will all of them learn the latest techniques and technologies? Now, at the PSI, they can find their next calling.”

The audiovisual room also has teleconferencing capabilities, for foreign lecturers to speak directly with students here. Dormitory rooms are also available for students from out-of-town to stay in for short workshops.

If knowledge is power, our athletes and coaches just received a big boost.

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Congratulations to the winners of The Enterprise Center’s 10th Invitational golf tournament, held recently at the Valley Golf and Country Club. In the Tenants’ Division, champions were Sunlife, represented by Ivan Justiniano and Antonio Gonzales. Runners-up were Thomson Reuters, composed of Ramon Clemente and Jun Clemente. Second runner-up honors went to HSBC, represented by Toto Magsuci and Bettina Gordon.

In the Owners’ Division, the championship trophy went to TEC Management’s tandem of Gener Peciller and Bobon Topacio. First runner-up was the pair of MIB, Don Lising and Eden Lim, and second runner-up was the team of Shang Grand Tower Corp., with Ian Macasaet and Nestor Macaraniag.