POC may tap private sector for Asiad fund

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Olympic Committee will not hesitate to knock on the doors of the private sector if the Philippine Sports Commission, the government’s funding arm in sports, falls short of its promise to spend for the Filipino athletes to the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou in November.

“Just in case there will be problems in funding although that’s a very remote possibility,” Jose Romasanta, chef-de-mission of the RP Team to the coming Asian Games, said yesterday.

Romasanta recalled the major disagreement between the POC and the PSC regarding the funding of the RP Team to the Laos Southeast Asian Games last year that led to the formation of two delegations, one funded by the government agency and the other by the local Olympic body.

The POC, under Jose Cojuangco Jr., was forced to raise its own funds after the PSC, under Harry Angping, refused to fund the athletes that did not pass the latter’s own criteria. Romasanta said the forthcoming change in the PSC structure should eliminate the disagreements of the past.

Angping believes that the government should fund only those with strong medal chances in major international competitions like the SEA Games, Asian Games or even the Olympics. But the POC, even for this year’s Asian Games, says athletes who pass the criteria should go and represent the country.

“We at the POC are very hopeful that there will be a common agreement regarding the funding for the Asian Games. So, there’s a very remote possibility that what happened last year will happen this time,” said Romasanta.

President-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, a nephew of the POC chief, will be sworn in on June 30, and sweeping changes within all appointed positions in government will soon follow, and that includes the PSC.

Romasanta said the POC won’t hesitate to seek financial support from the private sector, if needed.

“There are those who are willing to help, and just waiting to be tapped. If we have sympathetic friends before, the more we’ll have them now,” said the POC official, considering the relationship between the new President and the POC chief.

“All we need to do is seek their help,” he said.

Earlier this year, Angping said the PSC has earmarked P30 million for the actual participation of the Filipino athletes to Guangzhou. But that figure could have been based on the size of the delegation which he had in mind, which is no more than a hundred.

The POC said it plans to send around 180 athletes to the Asian Games, and again sees no problem in the funding, if and when a problem ever arises.