THE Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is breaking barriers in Mindanao by establishing the foundation of a sports development program for the children of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) members.
PSC Chairman William Ramirez opened the government sports agency’s doors to the organization through a dialogue with MILF Vice Chairman Ghazali Jaafar. The meeting took place during Lent at the MILF camp in Darapanan, Cotabato.
“It was a very successful meeting and we will finalize our PSC-MILF sports program,” Ramirez said on Monday. “Basically it’s about MILF youth and the sports for peace program.”
Ramirez said the MILF youth could be encouraged to engage in combat sports, pencak silat, archery and athletics. He added that sports science and nutrition through the aid of the Chinese Embassy would also constitute the program.
“We want sports to be a vehicle to alleviate the suffering of the children, and the fighters themselves, from the effects of poverty,” Ramirez said.
The program, Ramirez stressed, would be designed in such a way that it would conform with Islam and Muslim traditions.
“Training must be in accordance to their way of life and to liberate the Moro children from poverty through sports,” he said. “They deserve equal rights because they, too, are sportsmen.”
The goal is to see more Muslim youth competing in the Batang Pinoy and Philippine National Games, according to Ramirez.
Jaafar, on the other hand, initially offered to lend a 10-hectare land to become a regional training center for all Muslim youth.
“The PSC is seriously focusing on grassroots sports with special attention on the Mindanao sports for peace with the MILF. And negotiations will not stop here, we will also talk to other groups,” Ramirez said.