THE Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has gone digital in its operations with Chairman William Ramirez and the commissioners and key personnel keeping in touch with each other via group chat while the enhanced community quarantine is enforced.
PSC Chief of Staff Marc Velasco told the BusinessMirror on Tuesday, the first day of the enhanced community quarantine, that Ramirez and commissioners Celia Kiram, Ramon Fernandez, Charles Maxey and Arnold Agustin are maintaining virtual offices and have been directing operations.
On Monday, Velasco presided over an emergency meeting with key PSC personnel, including Executive Director Merle Ibay and Deputy Executive Directors Atty. Guillermo Iroy and Dennis Rivera, at the PSC Offices at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
“From today onwards, we work online while frontline offices, like the Cashier, Records and Operations, will be manned by skeletal forces,” Velasco said. “For example, payroll personnel will be physically present at the PSC to attend to their responsibility.”
On Tuesday, Velasco said the PSC has deposited checks with LandBank for the allowances of national athletes and coaches. But only those from national sports associations which have completed their documents for their national teams were included on the payroll.
Velasco said the PSC has advised all athletes to stay home and for those who remain at the dormitories at the PhilSports in Pasig City will remain in the facility.
The PSC, Velasco said, has not yet canceled major events for this year—among them the Philippine National Games, Batang Pinoy and Children’s Games.
“These events are postponed,” he said. Velasco also said no athlete or coach or PSC personnel has been reported to have fallen sick.