The implementing rules and regulations of the city sports code is on its last stage of finalization and will be up for deliberation in the committee level on June 11, Sangguniang Kabataan chairman and councilor Levy Lloyd Orcales said.

“We will be calling for a committee level meeting to finalize draft (of the IRR),” Orcales told the RNG Luzon in a private message this week.

Approved early January this year, the sports code, Orcales said may now allow the city to recognize local athletes and coaches.

He said, the sports code will help “better recognize local athletes, coaches and their sports discipline by emphasizing on the need to expand our incentives program.”

He added: “A fundamental aspect of supporting the promotion of sports not only for personal and professional development but as a source of social cohesion.”

With the sports code and its IRR, the city through the City Sports Development Office will be able to create “a database identifying who are our athletes (and) other sports stakeholders and how we can effectively respond to their needs.”

Aside from national athletes, the city will have a sort of tryout, a tournament like event where athletes can participate and those who qualify will be named city recognized athletes where the city can provide further training as well as provide financial support and logistics for campaigns outside the city.

Further, Orcales said, the sports code can lead to the “creation and promotion of more equitable opportunities for sports for all.”

He added that sports will not be for athletes only but also for other sectors like women, children, out of school youth, people with disabilities and elderlies.

The sports code will “not (be) only for athletes but also for women, children, OSYs, PWDs, senior citizens (and) whoever it is,” added Orcales, the city council chair on sports and youth.