By Jezza A. Nepomoceno

The Iloilo provincial government launched its first Developmental League Program, intended to provide meaningful sports and physical fitness activities to local youth.
According to Center for Sports and Physical Fitness Executive Director, Dr. Raymundo Lapating, the program is focused on cultivating grassroots sports programs, in particular, athletics, badminton, basketball, chess, football, lawn tennis, table tennis, volleyball, softball, swimming, taekwondo and arnis.
The program begins with the creation of barangay or municipal sports league. They will later form into training teams by municipality, competing in inter-training center competitions, until it reaches the Provincial Summer Developmental League.
“The basic philosophy and policy behind this is ‘athletes first, winning second,” Lapating explained. “Coaches and key officials will be held responsible for the behavior and safety of the athletes.”
Fifteen municipalities are currently involved in the program, with around 5,000 volunteer sports officials.
The program is supported by the Department of Education, the Commission on Higher Education, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, the Department of Interior and Local Government, the Philippine Sports Commission, along with private corporations./WDJ