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| (Image Source: Philippine News Agency) |
The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) pays tribute to the achievements and contributions of women in creating social change and development in the country in celebration of National Women's Month through a series of virtual programs conducted throughout the month of March dedicated to female leaders, athletes, coaches, employees, and mothers and highlighting their extraordinary roles in society.
The PSC has been consistently active in its programs for women in sports, especially amidst the recent health crisis brought about by the continuing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these programs is "Rise Up, Shape Up", a weekly web series streaming every Saturday on PSC's Facebook page and YouTube channel that features different women experts and personalities aimed to inspire and empower ladies in different fields. Then there is a series of free online seminars being conducted to push the commission's drive for gender equality and women empowerment. “This is our holistic approach to reach out to all the women in the country to be active in our leadership programs and encourage them to live a healthier lifestyle,” said PSC oversight Commissioner for Women in Sports Celia Kiram.
Meanwhile, formulating sports development programs at national and collegiate levels may just be possible with the recent signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the PSC and the Commission On Higher Education (CHED) which will seamlessly align the responsibilities of the two agencies for the future and progress of Philippine sports through better communication and coordination. Through the MOA, PSC and CHED have agreed to come up with plans, programs and policies that will provide direction for educational institutions and develop plans that will help train athletes, coaches and administrators in a professional manner.
On the other hand, the development and maintenance of sports facilities inside campuses which can handle national and international competitions can be worked out through the PSC-CHED partnership. Furthermore, the MOA will also help CHED formulate unified plans with collegiate sports associations such as the UAAP (University Athletic Association of the Philippines), NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) and CESAFI among others. This newfound collaboration and partnership will likely benefit student-athletes who are bound for other countries to compete in international sporting competitions and would further contribute to the development of national sports programs in the country as well.
