Buhain to press for Palaro budget

Eric Buhain, chair of the Philippine Sports Commission, yesterday said he will try to convince both the Senate and the House of Representatives to give a lean budget to Palarong Pambansa.

Buhain met with Lanao del Norte Rep. Abdullah Dimaporo recently to draft the request and consider the PSC’s role in the country’s biggest search for the next sporting greats.

"I’m sure they will understand that when the Department of Education transfered the Palaro functions to us, the budget wasn’t included," Buhain said.

In more than 30 years that the DepEd runs the Palaro, it has a regular source of funds, he added. "But for the past three years, we have been getting out funds from several sources.

"There is a need to have a line function which will ensure that there will be Palaro every year," added Buhain referring to the House Budget and Management committee led by Nonoy Andaya.

This year’s Palaro will be held in Tubod, Lanao del Norte at the newly built Mindanao Civic Center through the efforts of Rep. Dimaporo and wife, Gov. Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo.

"The Dimaporos have been coordinating closely with the PSC regarding the Palaro staging, which is important in the country’s calendar of sport development programs," Buhain added.