One on One with CRISTY RAMOS: May pag-asa pa ang Philippine sports

Isang panayam kay dating POC president Cristy Ramos

                                                      ( Part One )

BOKYA na naman ang Pilipinas sa katatapos na 30th Olympic Games na ginanap sa London.

At tulad ng nakagawian ay sari-sari na namang dahilan ang nagsusulputan para mapagtakpan ang kapalpakan ng Pinas sa mundo ng palakasan.

Gaano man karami ang nasisisi, gaano man ka-kumplikado ang mga iststistikang inilalatag at gaano man kalaki ang pondong maaaring hingin mula sa gobyerno ay dalawang katotohanan pa rin ang hindi na mababago.

Una ay napag-iiwanan na ang Philippine sports at pangalawa ay walang konkretong plano o direksyon ang  mga lider ng bansa para solusyonan ang problemang ito.

Inimbitahan ng Bandera Sports ang dating pangulo ng Philippine Sports Association na si Cristy Ramos para sa isang panayam at  kamakailan ay pinaunlakan ito ng anak ni dating Pangulong Fidel V. Ramos.Ayon kay Cristy, hindi agarang solusyon ang kailangan ng Philippine sports para makaahon sa kinalulugmukan nito ngayon.

Aniya, bagaman makakatulong kung madaragdagan ang pondo para sa sports at mapalitan na ang mga matatanda nang sports leaders na hindi na epektibo sa kanilang pamumuno ay hindi ito ang sagot sa problema ng Philippine sports.

Nais ni Cristy na baguhin ang imahe ng Philippine sports at ipasok sa kamalayan ng bawat Pilipino na mahalaga at may pakinabang sa taumbayan  ang palakasan.

‘‘We don’t take sports seriously,’’ aniya.  ‘‘We don’t have the right mindset for sports.

The Filipino psyche does not value hard work and discipline which is what sport psyche is all about.’’

Nais din ni Cristy na tanggalin sa isipan ng bawat Pinoy ang katagang “sports lang kasi  iyan.”

‘‘The Filipino psyche is hard to reconcile with sports psyche. I am not blaming anyone.

That’s just the way we are as a people. And that’s what POC must change,’’ aniya.

‘‘We have a hard time following rules. We always make excuses.’’

At kapag pumasok na umano ang sports sa puso at isipan ng bawat Pilipino ay sama-sama  na nitong maiaangat ang antas ng Philippine sports bilang isang nagka-kaisang bansa.

Dagdag pa ng dating POC president na hindi naman kinakailangang palitan o alisin pa ang Philippine Sports Commission. Ang mahalaga lang, aniya, ay malaman nito kung ano talaga ang kanyang trabaho.

Mahalaga rin aniya na magkaroon ng sari-sariling programa ang bawat national sports association (NSA).

Hindi rin daw nakatutulong sa mga NSA kung patuloy lamang itong aasa ng pondo mula sa gobyerno.

‘‘They (NSA) must raise funds to solve the lack of funding for sports in the Philippines and the POC must engage in effective marketing strategy,’’ sabi ni Ramos.

‘‘There are token support from private companies like Smart Communications.

But are there companies that give all-out support to our athletes?

Is there an image problem for the POC which prevents private companies from giving their all-out support?

Do companies like to be associated with the leaders of POC and their athletes? Perhaps, a good image on the part of the POC and its athletes will encourage private companies and individuals to give their all-out moral and financial support.’’

Sumasang-ayon naman si Ramos sa pagkakaroon ng tunay, komprehensibo at malawakang grassroots development at talent identification program.

‘‘Here, the PSC can tap the DILG, DepEd, DND and DOLE to gain a mass base of athletes where we can select the ones who show promise in winning an Olympic medal.

The DILG is mandated by law to conduct community sports.

DepEd can strengthen the P.E. curriculum in schools and universities. It must make P.E. an everyday subject for elementary and high school students,’’ sabi niya.

‘‘Right now, we have integrated P.E. with music, arts and health as MAPEH.

As a result, P.E. is only an hour long subject that students take once a week.

DND has the perfect pool of athletic talent because of its physically fit personnel.

DOLE can encourage workers to engage in sports as well.’’

Sa kasalukuyan ay may mga programa ang PSC  tulad ng Batang Pinoy, University Games at National Games at ang DepEd tulad ng Palarong Pambansa.

Pero ayon kay Cristy, mas magiging maigi sana kung may “continuity” ang lahat ng programang ito seryoso ang mga liders nito na makahanap talaga ng mga talento mula sa iba’t-ibang sulok ng Pilipinas.

‘‘How are the POC and PSC promoting sports? They are telling the Filipino people to get into sports so that they can win an Olympic medal.

That is their sales pitch. That is their way of getting people into sports. That is so passe,’’ wika ni Cristy.

‘‘To win an Olympic medal requires a lot of sacrifices which a lot of Filipinos are not willing to make.

It is a difficult life to be an Olympic athlete.’’

Tinanong din ng Bandera kung sa tingin niya ay may pag-asa pa ang Philippine sports.

‘‘Oo naman,’’ ang kanyang tugon. ‘‘It is not easy but definitely there’s still hope.’’

(abangan ang Part 2 ng interview  sa Biernes) — Eric Dimzon