PSC confirms funding RP stint to Youth chess

Philippine Sports Commission chair Eric Buhain confirmed yesterday that the government sports agency gave allowances to the Philippine contingent that took part in the World Youth Chess Championships in Halkidiki, Greece in November last year.

"The PSC gave P437,400 to the National Chess Federation of the Philippines as allowances of the team, equivalent to $450 each to the 11 athletes and 7 officials who went to Greece," Buhain said at the PSA forum at the Manila Pavilion Hotel.

Buhain added that the PSC financial assistance given to the NCFP was approved by the PSC board on Oct. 9, 2003 under resolution No. 599-2003.

"Appropriation of P437,400 or $450 per person to cover allowances of 11 athletes and seven officials of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines participating in the 2003 World Youth Chess Championships in Halkidi, Greece from October 22 to November 3, 2003," the resolution said.

Buhain was responding to complaints filed by the parents whose children competed in the event but were not given allowances by the NCFP.

Without the allowances, the Filipino players, aged 10 to 18 years old, were forced to live under deplorable conditions and were forced to drink tap water from toilets since the price of bottled water was expensive at the chess site.

NCFP secretary general Sammy Estimo claimed that the money was spent to pay the overdue membership fees of the NCFP with the International Chess Federation.

However, there were reports that it was the personal money of NCFP president Mat Defensor used for the NCFP’s FIDE dues.

Asked who received the PSC grant on behalf of the NCFP, Buhain replied: "Estimo did." Estimo received the amount on October 20, 2003.

Buhain added that the P437,400 is part of the over P2.7 million in unliquidated financial asssistance the NCFP has gotten from the PSC.

Estimo also still has to account for the $500 that he got from the PSC purportedly to pay for the protest fee for the RP team that took part in the 22nd Vietnam Southeast Asian Games last December when no protest was ever filed by any country during the competition.

With the support of the Philippine Chess Masters Association headed by lawyer Quirino Zagario, Grandmasters Joey Antonio and Bong Villamayor have accused Estimo of financial mismanagement of the NCFP and have called for his ouster.