THE Bangsamoro Sports Commission (BSC) on Monday forged an agreement with the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) for the strengthening of the grassroots program of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
BSC chair Arsalan Dimaoden, presented a 12-point agenda with the PSC which include close cooperation on sports facilities development and health and wellness in BARMM.
The BSC agenda also include grassroots and youth sports, sports education, human resource development, continuation of Sports for All program of the PSC’s Laro’t Saya sa Parke and elite sports identification and support.
Also on the agenda were traditional sports and games preservation and promotion, ensuring gender and equality in sports, sports linkages and collaboration, sports tourism and sports competitions.
“It is our earnest understanding that we can utilize sport as a realization for the development of Mindanao and the country,” said Dimaoden, who was accompanied by his commissioners and consultant during the hour-long meeting at the PSC Conference Room inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila.
PSC Chairman Richard Bachmann supported the proposal and batted for unity between the two sports agencies.
“I would like to consider us as one group as we are focused on the Filipino athletes. Let us find the athletes sa bawat parte ng Pilipinas,” Bachmann said. “This is what I want to push in my term together with our Board of Commissioners.”
PSC Commissioners Walter Torres and Olivia “Bong” Coo also supported the agreement with the BSC.
“The PSC can send a team to conduct a feasibility study for the sports facilities development in the region and ask that accessibility for para-athletes be observed for the building of the facilities,” Torres said.
Coo said: “I offer our programs Laro ng Lahi and Women in Sports programs to be conducted in BARMM. There is a need to increase the inclusion of more girls in grassroots programs.”
With Dimaoden were BSC commissioners Abdulkhabir Musa (Tawi-Tawi), Nu-man Calutiag (Maguindanao) and Yushoup Sario (Basilan), Executive Director Salihwardi Alba and consultants Prof. Henry Daut of the Mindanao State University and Ateneo de Davao University Athletics Director and Mindanao Peace Games Founder and Convener Noli Ayo