Solon confident PSC to get P250-M budget

The Philippine Sports Commission will have Rep. Monico Puentevella a lot to thank for if and when a bigger budget for the government sports agency this year is finally approved.

Puentevella, a former PSC commissioner who once headed the House Committee on Youth and Sports, filed House Resolution No. 1050 upon learning that the PSC stands to receive a measly budget of P27 million this year.

Puentevella said this is not the way to treat the PSC or Philippine sports in general, considering that the country had just won the overall crown in the Southeast Asian Games.

The lawmaker from Bacolod batted for a P250 million budget for the PSC. The amount will be used for grassroots development, infrastructure projects and the salaries of the hundreds of PSC officials and employees.

As of yesterday, Puentevella said new PSC budget is close to being finalized and approved by the House. It is now in the hands of the Senate.

"After getting more than 120 signatories we feel very optimistic that the PSC budget is a done deal. I thank all our colleagues," said Puentevella.

"We also presume that the senators will join us in this crusade as a reward for the superb performance of our athletes. We must now move forward toward greater heights and they need this essential push to attain that objective — be it the forthcoming Asian Games or the Olympics," he added.

Ramirez said it would be a very big boost to the morale of the national athletes if the new budget is approved. Otherwise, life will be very difficult for the PSC, its employees and the athletes.

"With only P27 million, it will be just enough for the salaries of PSC employees for a year," said chairman Butch Ramirez.

However, Ramirez said not all will be lost if indeed the PSC will only receive P27 million this year.

"Whether how big or small our budget is, it’s just a matter of having a sound management," said Ramirez, who added that the PSC has terminated the services of a number of consultants whose contracts expired last Dec. 31.

Among those with expired contracts are Mike Keon, who served as training director of the RP contingent to the SEA Games, Lydia de Vega and Onyok Velasco who acted as consultants.

De Vega recently left the country and is now reportedly has a sports-related job in Singapore. A big number of contractual employees were also dropped by the PSC.

"No person is being singled out. All their contracts expired on Dec. 31 and if we removed our contractuals then we cannot keep our consultants, too," said Ramirez.

"Regarding Mike Keon, Lydia and Onyok, we got them so they could bridge the gap. Mike Keon’s role was to monitor the training of the athletes — nothing exceptional," added the PSC chief.

However, he said he’s not totally closing the door on their entry into the PSC considering that there’s the 15th Asian Games scheduled in Doha, Qatar in December.