Gymnastics tops budget proposals with P49.7 M

MANILA, Philippines - The Gymnastics Association of the Philippines, which has produced just a single gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games since 2005, topped the list of the NSAs (national sports associations) with the biggest budget proposals for this year.

Based on documents obtained from the Philippine Sports Commission, the GAP forwarded a request of P49,770,000 for 2011, representing more than 10 percent of the total budget proposal of P455,203,124 for 39 NSAs.

The GAP request was broken down as P17.5 million for overseas exposure, P3.5 million for local tournaments, P6.250 million for foreign training, P800,000 for local training, P3 million for equipment, P12.7 million for allowances and P6 million for a foreign coach.

Yes, a staggering P500,000 a month for foreign coaching.

The last time gymnastics delivered a SEA Games gold for the Philippines was during the 2005 Manila Games when Roel Ramirez won the men’s all-around artistics event. Along with it came three silver and seven bronze medals.

In the 2007 SEA Games, gymnastics produced a single bronze through Bryndon Sy in the men’s parallel bar. The sport was not included in 2009 Laos SEA Games, and is not certain yet for inclusion in the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia

Behind gymnastics was canoe-kayak with a budget proposal of P48,191,750, with more than P20 million being earmarked for equipment, and more than P13 million for the allowances of its athletes and coaches.

Like gymnastics, canoe-kayak has very little background in winning, producing only a silver and two bronze medals in the 2005 Manila SEA Games, and none in the 2007 SEA Games in Thailand.

The PSC has earmarked only P400 million for the 40 regular NSAs in the Philippine Olympic Committee roster, six associate members, seven recognized members and the three with special cases or under leadership disputes.

That means 53 NSAs will have to feed on the P400 million the PSC has readied for this year, but if two NSAs with very little background in winning will eat up almost 20 percent of the pie, then something has to be done.

The POC called on the NSAs to review their budget proposals, and see to it that only the most important requirements for this year, in terms of foreign exposure, equipment and training needs are met.

“Otherwise, mamamaga talaga (It will bloat),” said POC spokesperson Jose Romasanta.

Only after the NSAs take a second look at their budget proposals with the PSC decide whether or not it can fund all their plans and programs. Otherwise, the NSAs must look for their own funding from the private sector.

“The fact that the NSA requests exceed our allocation is an indication that we need the support of both the government and private sector to help build our sports programs,” said PSC commissioner Jolly Gomez.

“Our Southeast Asian neighbors have government budgets that are more than triple of what we have,” he added.

The National Motorcycle Sports and Safety Association or NAMSSA, not even a regular, voting member of the POC, submitted the third biggest budget proposal of over P26 million, the bulk of which, P13 million, for local events.

Ironically, a number of NSAs which has produced the medals in international competitions have submitted modest proposals, including athletics (P7.8 million), bowling (P5.8 million), and taekwondo (P5.2 million).

Lawn balls submitted the lowest budget proposal of P1.7 million, followed by sepak takraw’s P2.6 million, soft tennis’ P2.8 million, fin swimming’s P3.1 million, judo’s P3.2 million and golf’s P3.5 million.