Philsoc eases guidelines on RP aspirants

Even athletes with no international experience to speak of still have a chance of making it to the Philippine team that will see action in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games scheduled Nov. 27-Dec. 5.

Harry Angping, the president of the national softball association who’s also in charge of screening the members of the RP delegation, made the announcement during yesterday’s PSA Forum at the Pantalan Restaurant in Manila.

Angping said while there are certain guidelines on one’s inclusion to the RP team, they are also trying to adopt a "very flexible attitude" that would give an inexperienced but promising athlete the chance to compete in the SEA Games.

Under the guidelines, an athlete should have won at least a bronze medal in the 2003 Vietnam SEA Games or should have finished in the top 10 of their respective fields in previous World or Asian championships.

"But we’re being flexible in that forthcoming athletes who have not yet competed in any international event can still make it to the RP team. This is a perfect chance for them to be given the exposure," said Angping.

"This is their chance to compete internationally without us having to spend for plane fares," added Angping, who was joined in the weekly forum by Cynthia Carrion, a ranking sports official who’s also deeply involved with the tourism department.

Carrion, head of RP aerobics association, is also in charge of the support services group of the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee. For his part, Angping heads Philsoc’s technical committee.

During the forum, Carrion talked about the preparations being made regarding transportation, communication and accommodation for the close to 8,000 athletes and officials who will be part of the 11-nation event.

She said while matters concerning transportation and communication are moving along well, Philsoc is being hard-pressed meeting the deadline set by the different hotels on early bookings.

Carrion said some of the hotels are already asking for a 10 percent down payment or they would lose the bookings, mostly being done on behalf of the foreign delegates — from the athletes to sports officials and other VIPs.

"That’s why we are currently negotiating with some of the hotels, particularly the five-star hotels. We’re being given only until September to make the down payments," added the former commissioner of the Philippine Sports Commission.

Although she remains confident things will turn out well, Carrion said five major and non-sports conventions to be held in Manila during the same SEA Games period are given them stiff competition on hotel bookings.