After nearly two years of crafting a sports code that “will provide more opportunities for growth and further enhance a better sports promotion and development for athletes, coaches, and sports enthusiasts,” according to principal author councilor Levy Lloyd Orcales, the city council on Monday approved same on final reading.
The sports code has gone through several process with the first draft filed with the city council in November 2019. After consultations with coaches, athletes and enthusiasts at the Supreme Hotel on January 2020, a final draft was completed which was finally approved last Monday during its third and final reading.
Orcales expressed jubilation with the approval of the ordinance as he thanked those who helped in its crafting. He said: “ We would like to thank all our partners from the various schools, universities and colleges in the city, local sports associations and clubs, our athletes, coaches and all officiating officials, the Department of Education Baguio Division Office, barangay and SK officials, private individuals, sports enthusiasts, the men and women from the City Sports and Recreation Division, the members of the city council and to all who have shared their insights and recommendations for the development of this City Sports Code.”
With its approval, the code will now create the city sports council with the mayor as chair and Orcales as co-chairman. The council includes the: city administrator will be appointed as the action officer and the Sports and Recreation Division Head as the secretary; and, members that come come from different city government offices, non-government associations, and sports associations.
The primary function of the sports council is to serve as a recommending body of the city on matters concerning sports and recreation, while also tasked to address concerns in marketing, promotions, sports tourism, media, athletes with disabilities, sports medicine, sports infrastructure and facilities, and barangay sports, among others.
With the sports code in place, the city will now register all athletes, trainers, coaches and local sports associations (LSAs) with the City Sports Council. Only those registered will be allowed to represent the city in any sports events and are eligible for incentives and other forms of assistance from the city.
The council may assist the LSAs in their accreditation to their respective National Sports Associations by issuing an endorsement.
In accrediting athletes, the council will create a selection committee tasked to identify or select athletes who will represent the city in regional and national sports competitions.
This will be done conducting interviews, try-outs and training exercises, qualifying/elimination tournaments, and other necessary methodologies.
The criteria in selection include performance, statistics/standing, development potential, potential to compete at the top level, experience, fitness, skills, attitude, mental toughness, personal characteristics, age, and feedback from their coaches.
Baguio-attached athletes or those who are members of any recognized sports club, organization, association, and discipline accredited by the city government may be allowed to represent the city and participate in national competitions if there are no other qualified Baguio resident athletes to compete for the sporting event. They are entitled to cash incentives and other forms of assistance/benefits provided in this ordinance only when they are expressly allowed by the city government to participate in national sports competitions.
The coach with the greatest number of winning athletes at the time of the selection process will be designated as the official coach for the duration of the competition and will receive incentives as provided by this sports code.
The council will be tasked to draft the City Sports Development Plan “that aims to develop a mass-based, pro-poor sports and recreation activities fostering self-discipline, teamwork, and excellence among Baguio citizens.”
Meanwhile, the Sports and Recreation Division will institutionalize the conduct of a whole-year program to complement the aforementioned regular programs. These include the staging of summit and sports clinics; seminars and trainings for coaches, referees, and sports leaders; regular tournaments and physical fitness sports for the exposure of athletes; and exhibition games; among others.
They year round program must include all sectors that include people with disability, out-of-school-youth, street children, students, and delegates from other provinces/regions.
The council is also tasked to address the inadequacy of sports supplies and equipment.
