THE prolonged pandemic has urged the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) to go online in serving the community beginning with a free clinic for coaches in Central, Western and Eastern Visayas next month.
PSC Commissioner Ramon Fernandez told the PSC Chatroom on Saturday that the online coaching courses should fill the lull as face-to-face interaction remains banned with the Covid-19 virus still posing a major threat.
Fernandez also said going online would be virtually at no cost to the PSC, whose shares from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. are reaching rock bottom with the casinos still shuttered.
“The PSC would not spend that much with this program. We also don’t have to bring the coaches to a specific place classes,” Fernandez said.
The PSC draws much of its funds from Pagcor. But because casino operations have been shut, Pagcor’s average monthly remittance to the sports agency went from P150 million in February, P99 million in March and a measly P9 million in April.
The trend could approach zero if Pagcor’s operations remain locked.
The five-day coaching course commences on July 27 with lectures would be held in morning and these would be followed by examinations in the afternoon.
The topics to be covered include sports science, nutrition, physical fitness and conditioning and physiology.
The PSC would award Level 1 Coach Certificates to successful participants. The new coaches could facilitate training for elementary students or beginners.
Fernandez, who oversees the PSC’s operations in the Visayas, said the courses are free but participants need to be endorsed by the sports office of their local government units (LGUs).
Because of an expected heavy turnout, the PSC would limit participation to only two aspirants for each LGU. The program would last until November.