THE Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) on Wednesday led a multi-agency effort that aims to further guarantee safety in the practice of sports in all its phases-during training and out- and in-competition.
PSC chairman Patrick Gregorio said that safety in sports ranks as high as achieving victories in the competition arena and that the drowning to death of Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles Rene Baterbonia of Agusan del Sur and Divine Adili of Nigeria should never happen again.
While Gregorio was presiding over a fact-finding panel meeting among representatives from the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP), National Youth Commission (NYC) and University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), Baterbonia’s mother Rovelyn faced a press conference also on Wednesday stressing on the Blue Eagles coaching staff’s failure in ‘communicating’ with her in earnest on the death of her son, a promising basketball player who once lorded over the Palarong Pambansa playing out of Ateneo de Davao.
The Department of Justice, meanwhile, directed the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct a parallel probe into the drowning incident in Dipaculao, Aurora, during the Ateneo Blue Eagles’ team building activity, which the Aurora Police Office abruptly declared as an ‘accident.’
In a statement, DOJ spokesman-lawyer Polo Martinez said the NBI has been instructed to create a task force that would thoroughly investigate the incident and determine possible liabilities of individuals or entities.
Gregorio said that the panel is tasked to standardize preventive measures-rather than sanctions-and stressed that the their future actions would also rely on conclusions reaped from further police investigations on the tragedy.
Gregorio was joined by DepEd Undersecretary Malcolm Garma, NYC chairman Jeff Ortega, Anna Yango, PSC commissioner Fritz Gaston, Rita Sescar and Atty. Ruel Capanzana of the CHED and UAAP executive director Rebo Saguisag.
‘The tragedy should lead to stronger safeguards for athletes with the PSC pushing for better sports governance, stronger safety standards, risk management protocols, and emergency response measures across all levels of sport,’ the panel later stated in a statement.
Gregorio said that the panel will push for the Sports Coaching Act that aims to regulate the coaching profession through a national registry, mandatory licensing and certification and continuing professional development requirements.
Gregorio was joined by DepEd Undersecretary Malcolm Garma, NYC chairman Jeff Ortega, Anna Yango, PSC commissioner Fritz Gaston, Rita Sescar and Atty. Ruel Capanzana of the CHED and UAAP executive director Rebo Saguisag.
‘The tragedy should lead to stronger safeguards for athletes with the PSC pushing for better sports governance, stronger safety standards, risk management protocols, and emergency response measures across all levels of sport,’ the panel later stated in a statement.
Gregorio said that the panel will push for the Sports Coaching Act that aims to regulate the coaching profession through a national registry, mandatory licensing and certification and continuing professional development requirements.