Angping: Bonuses came from donations

MANILA, Philippines - Former Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Harry Angping yesterday clarified that the extra incentives his office handed out to medalists in the 2009 Southeast Asian Games were properly appropriated and did not involve government money.

Angping said the bonuses amounting to P4 million, which was over and above the windfall provided for by Republic Act 9064, came from donations from private companies.

“The P4 million given to the Laos SEA Games gold medalists came from the private sector,” he said, adding that P2 million was donated by Discovery Suites and P1 million each came from Hapee and Pacific Online. “No government fund was involved there.”

Angping made the clarification after his successor, Richie Garcia stated that the new PSC board won’t be releasing additional rewards as Angping did, stressing that the agency can’t do so without the necessary board approval and sourcing.

The ex-PSC boss reiterated that his incentives program, as with his every project, had the backing of the board.

“All my projects and expenditures were all subsequently ratified by the board. Everything’s there, in the minutes of the board,” Angping said.

As per RA 9064, the Philippine government grants P100,000 to SEA Games gold medalists; P1 million to Asian Games champions and P5 million to Olympic winners.

But Angping went farther by doubling the cash reward for every gold medal won by Team Philippines in last year’s SEAG in Laos, giving each gold medalist P200,000.

The former Manila solon had also batted for the continuation of this practice for the achievers of the Asiad in Guanzhou this year, which will have entitled the gold winner to P1 million as per law and another P1 million from the PSC.

His successor, Richie Garcia, guaranteed the rewards mandated by RA 9064 but was doubtful about handing out the extra money that Angping had initiated during his term.

“The incentives will be there but only those provided under the law. As to the former chairman’s promise of additional incentives, we can only do that through the board’s approval,” said Garcia.

“But if we are to hand them out through a verbal promise, with no proper appropriation, then that will be difficult for us,” he added.