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Return of grassroots sports programs will depend on COVID-19 situation, says Fernandez

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/06/27/20190705-spc-commissioners-jc-7889.jpg"/></figure></div><p>MANILA, Philippines -- While professional sports have returned and national athletes can begin training again, the country&#x27;s grassroots sports programs remain in limbo because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.</p><p>Basketball legend Ramon Fernandez, now a commissioner with the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), admits that he is unsure as to when events in the grassroots level can return, given the COVID-19 situation in the country. </p><p>&quot;Dependent talaga tayo kay COVID, kung anong gusto niyang mangyari,&quot; Fernandez said during a recent appearance on the &quot;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/140127369343912/videos/3927216823976245/">PSC Hour</a>.&quot;</p><p>The PSC was forced to cancel several events in 2020, including the Philippine National Games, the Batang Pinoy, and the <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/05/20/deped-suspends-palarong-pambansa-other-crowd-drawing-events">Palarong Pambansa</a>. Regional sports events were also scrapped as Filipinos observed strict restrictions to curb the spread of the virus. </p><p>It was a disappointing development for Fernandez, who was looking forward to implementing programs in the grassroots level last year.</p><p>&quot;We are ready and our programs are in place,&quot; he said, noting that the PSC was prepared to &quot;really concentrate on the grassroots program&quot; in 2020 while the various national sports associations handled the elite athletes. </p><p>Because of the pandemic, however, those programs did not get off the ground. In contrast, professional sports were allowed to return in October 2020, with the PBA eventually completing its All-Filipino Conference in a bubble in Clark, Pampanga. The country&#x27;s Olympic hopefuls, meanwhile, begin training this weekend in another bubble at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/01/11/21/everything-in-place-for-national-athletes-training-in-bubble-psc">READ: Everything in place for national athletes training in bubble: PSC</a></li></ul><p>Fernandez said the return of grassroots programs and events such as the Palarong Pambansa will ultimately depend on the pandemic and how the country deals with it. <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/12/21/ph-logs-1524-new-covid-19-cases-139-deaths-highest-since-october">As of Tuesday afternoon</a>, there was a total of 491,258 reported cases in the Philippines, of which 23,532 were active.</p><p>&quot;We&#x27;re hoping everything will normalize. Not until the vaccine comes along, mahirap talagang mag-umpisa again sa grassroots program,&quot; he said in a separate interview on &quot;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFsrcrY4JxU&amp;t=4136s">Power and Play</a>&quot; with former PBA commissioner Noli Eala.</p><p>&quot;Si COVID lang ang makakatulong sa atin, kung tumigil na siya. There&#x27;s really not much we can do about it, to put it bluntly,&quot; Fernandez added. &quot;As I said, not until the vaccine comes along can we go back to our normal lives as far as athletic programs are concerned.&quot;</p><p>Aside from grassroots events, the Philippines&#x27; collegiate leagues were also heavily impacted by the pandemic. Both the NCAA and the UAAP cancelled their seasons in April 2020, and the UAAP recently announced that it will not push through with Season 83. It remains to be seen if the NCAA will hold Season 96 this year. </p><div><strong>Related video: </strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g_FZig067tU?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>While professional sports have returned and national athletes can begin training again, the country's grassroots sports programs remain in limbo because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.</p>

While professional sports have returned and national athletes can begin training again, the country's grassroots sports programs remain in limbo because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.