MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Sports Commission no longer has room for free loaders in its premises.
“Unless they are part of the national pool, no more free loaders,” said PSC chairman Richie Garcia yesterday, referring to a new policy that limits billeting privileges only to members of the national pool.
In the past, even members of the junior and developmental pool were provided billeting in PSC-controlled premises like Philsports in Pasig, Quezon City Velodrome, Teachers Camp in Baguio and Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila.
Not anymore.
“Only the national pool,” Garcia stressed.
“Do you know how many developmental athletes there are? We have more than a thousand. We don’t have the money to take care all of them,” said the PSC chairman.
Garcia said there are 600 athletes in the national pool, each one of them receiving monthly allowances, including meal allowances, and the PSC only has enough for them.
The new policy, included in last month’s PSC board resolution No. 007-2011, means that the different national sports associations (NSAs) should provide for the billeting of their junior and developmental athletes.
Most of these athletes come from the provinces. Now, they can no longer use the PSC as their living quarters.
“Non-members of the national pool shall not be entitled to meals, billeting and use of PSC facilities,” the PSC resolution said.
“Developmental pool athletes whether in the official list of the PSC or not shall not be entitled to billeting at the PSC Athletes’ Dormitory (RMSC and PhilSports),” it added.
The resolution also said that NSAs who will avail of these facilities as their permanent training venue should make special arrangement for accommodation outside the training venue.