Angping lays groundwork for PSC future

MANILA, Philippines - PSC chairman Harry Angping said the other day the government agency is set to conduct a nationwide search for potential young athletes who can be trained and developed to achieve elite status after establishing financial stability through sound fiscal management of the institution that was created by law in 1990.

Angping will tender his courtesy resignation as PSC chairman on June 30 when Benigno Aquino III is sworn in as the country’s new president. He is not expected to be retained by Aquino whose uncle Jose Cojuangco Jr., the POC president, has been at loggerheads with the former Manila congressman. Also tendering their courtesy resignations are PSC commissioners Joey Mundo, Fr. Vic Uy, Eric Loretizo and Akiko Thomson-Guevara.

The PSC officers were outgoing president Gloria Arroyo’s personal choices and serve at her pleasure.

Since taking over the PSC from William Ramirez in February last year, Angping made it his priority to clean up the agency’s books and liquidate obligations in order to be in a stable position to receive the full monthly allocation of subsidies from government as mandated by R. A. No. 6847. Specifically, Angping settled over P160 million in advances from Pagcor so that now, the PSC is given some P20 million more monthly from the gambling entity to disburse for sports. He also terminated at least 30 “unproductive” contractuals, rationalized utilities consumption to dramatically reduce power, water and telephone expenses and covered some P50 million in overdue payables to suppliers.

Professionalizing the PSC’s image has been a consuming mission for Angping who will leave behind a legacy of prudent management to secure its future. At the same time, he established close ties with China and Taiwan, leaning on his own ethnic background, to arrange training relationships for Filipino athletes in the national pool.

“With proper coaching, technical and financial support as well as guidance from a team of doctors and professionals, we can prepare these athletes physically and mentally in order for them to be ready for international competitions,” said Angping.

Another accomplishment in his brief term was renovating and refurbishing nearly all the sports venues and offices under the PSC.

“We undertook 32 projects for the renovation, refurbishment and construction of sports venues and facilities in 15 months, including the total renovation of the PhilSports Arena with brand-new air-conditioning, the restoration of the swimming and diving pools in the PhilSports complex and Rizal Memorial, the construction of the newly built boxing gym and the renovation of the administrative building offices,” he said.

The Rizal Memorial football field, long in a state of deterioration, was recently given a new lease on life with the PSC obtaining financial assistance from De La Salle University for its renovation. The PSC and De La Salle also concluded an agreement to set up a Sports Academy where the school will provide the opportunity for athletes, particularly retirees, to complete their undergraduate studies.

Angping said he has also created a “vice-free” PSC by closing down beer joints and bars that lined up the Adriatico side of the Rizal Memorial. He instituted a major facelift of the Rizal Memorial façade with part of the complex to be converted into a “Glorietta Ng Malate” or the PSC Sports Mall, a commercial facility for the sporting community.

Angping proudly pointed to the establishment of financial stability and sound fiscal management as his biggest achievement in the PSC.

“We paid all cash advances of previous PSC administrations from Pagcor amounting to P163 million,” he said. “We implemented strict liquidation and auditing of financial assistance to all National Sports Associations. We instituted better mechanisms in reforming the administration and management of PSC’s financial resources, cut unnecessary expenses and attained significantly high revenues on sports venue and facility rentals.”

Angping said his most memorable experience as PSC chairman was organizing the recent Philippine Sports Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremonies.

“We pursued the realization of the main intent of R. A. No. 8757 after 10 years from enactment of the law,” said Angping, referring to the bill creating the Sports Hall of Fame. “This was the very first time we gave due revere and recognition as prestigious as this one, to the country’s sports legends.”

Inducted into the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame were Pancho Villa, Teofilo Yldefonso, Simeon Toribio, Miguel White, Jose Villanueva, Ceferino Garcia, Carlos Loyzaga, Anthony Villanueva, Gabriel Elorde and the national basketball team that took third place at the 1954 World Championships in Rio de Janeiro.