Sports development in Masbate City continues to advance through a strong ecosystem of collaboration among the Schools Division Office (SDO) Masbate City, the Local Government Unit (LGU), local sports clubs, and the Southeast Luzon Masbate Region Football Association (SELMARFA). This partnership showcases how shared commitment and coordinated actions can build a thriving sports culture that benefits young learners, athletes, and the broader community.
SDO Masbate City places sports at the heart of its learner development agenda. Through physical education, intramurals, and athletic programs, the Division aims to nurture discipline, teamwork, leadership, and resilience among students. But achieving this vision requires collaboration beyond the school system—this is where the LGU, local clubs, and SELMARFA become indispensable allies.
The Local Government Unit of Masbate City provides essential support that enhances both school-based and community sports. This includes allocation of budgets for sports events, athletic meets, and youth development initiatives, developing and maintaining sports facilities such as football fields, courts, and community centers, strengthening grassroots involvement through barangay sports programs, and institutionalizing sports policies that encourage active participation across age groups.
Local sports clubs contribute significantly by offering expertise and structured training environments that complement school programs. Their contributions include delivering specialized coaching in various sports disciplines, organizing community leagues and clinics that develop young athletes, providing pathways for competition, helping athletes progress from school-level to higher-level tournaments and mentoring students in discipline, commitment, and sportsmanship.
The Southeast Luzon Masbate Region Football Association (SELMARFA) stands as one of the most active partners in advancing football across Masbate City. Their contribution is essential in elevating the sport at both grassroots and competitive levels. SELMARFA supports sports development through conducting football clinics, youth bootcamps, and coaching sessions, organizing inter-school and community football leagues, and local coaches in basic and advanced football coaching, providing technical assistance for school competitions and promoting football as an inclusive sport that builds teamwork, respect, and discipline.
The partnership among SDO Masbate City, the LGU, local clubs, and SELMARFA works because it is built on shared responsibility and collective action. Their collaboration involves joint planning for sports events, workshops, and development programs, pooling resources such as facilities, equipment, coaches, and volunteers, co-organized tournaments that engage both learners and the wider community and continuous evaluation to improve sports initiatives based on needs and outcomes.
Through this partnership, Masbate City has seen transformative benefits such as increased learner participation in football and other sports, enhanced competitive performance in local and regional sporting events, stronger grassroots sports engagement, especially in football, improved health, discipline, and social skills among student-athletes and greater community involvement, strengthening unity and local pride
The collaborative efforts demonstrate how partnership can drive meaningful progress in sports development. With shared goals and coordinated programs, these organizations create opportunities that allow young Masbateños to grow as athletes, leaders, and well-rounded individuals.
Masbate City stands as a model of how sports development thrives when a whole community moves together with one purpose: to nurture youth potential through sports, passion, and unity.
Published by:
GERARD LEOMEL R. ESTOQUIA
Senior Education Program Specialist
Division Sports Officer
