PSC, private backers to send 512 SEAG bets

MANILA, Philippines - At most, the Philippines will send 512 athletes to the biggest Southeast Asian Games ever.

The Philippine Olympic Committee yesterday released the names of all the athletes and the 140 officials bound for Indonesia for the biennial event scheduled Nov. 11 to 22.

The Philippine Sports Commission, the government’s funding arm in sports, will fund 417 of these athletes while the rest will be backed by private sponsors. 

 The PSC had earmarked only P30 million for the SEA Games, and originally it was only enough to fund a little over 300 athletes.

But businessman Manny V. Pangilinan of Smart/PLDT, however, tossed in P10 million, enabling the PSC to accommodate the rest for the event that offers 545 gold medals in 42 sports.

“Because of lack of funds, the PSC could have funded only 300 athletes. But the private sector came in, saying they want to fund this athlete or this group of athletes,” said deputy chef-de-mission Romeo Magat.

“What can we do? To most NSAs (national sports association) the SEA Games is the best international exposure for their athletes. That’s why everybody wants to be there,” said the tennis official.

Under the PSC wings are athletes from archery (8), athletics (22), badminton (8), basketball (24), billiards (13), bowling (12), boxing (10), canoeing (5), chess (11), equestrian (4), fencing (20), fin-swimming (5), gymnastics (5), golf (7), judo (15), karatedo (9), pencak silat (9), petanque (7), rowing (12), sailing (5), windsurfing (2), sepak takraw (6), sport-climbing (1), soft tennis (10), shooting (11), softball (17), traditional boat (39), table tennis (8), beach volley (4), water skiing (3), wrestling (8), wushu (14) and weightlifting (6).

Those placed under the private sponsorships are two more from athletics, baseball (22), bridge (13), cycling (18), three more from fencing, futsal (27), two more from gymnastics, two more from judo and para-gliding (6). Some of these athletes, however, were still scrounging for funds, and are still in danger of missing the boat.

There are 21 more officials (mostly technical, medical and administrative) officials knocking on the doors but must find their own sponsors.

Among the big names vying in Indonesia are Ryan Arabejo of swimming, Eduardo Buenavista and Marestella Torres of athletics, Efren Reyes and Django Bustamante of billiards, Biboy Rivera of bowling, Rey Saludar and Charly Suarez of boxing, Joey Antonio, Wesley So and Mark Paragua of chess, Toni Leviste of equestrian, John Baylon of judo, Benjie Tolentino of rowing, Japoy Lizardo of taekwondo, Cecil Mamiit of tennis and Eduard Folayang of wushu.

Secretariat member Clarito Samson clarified that while there are those funded by the PSC and those by the private sector, this Philippine delegation will fly to Indonesia “as one family.”

In 2009, only 251 athletes represented the Philippines in Laos, and they flew on two different planes, one funded by the PSC, and the other by the POC. The two sports bodies were then at war.

While it’s the biggest SEA Games ever, it’s not the biggest Philippine delegation formed in recent years because in 2007, a total of 620 athletes represented the country and won 41 gold, 91 silver and 96 bronze medals.

In 2005, as host, the Philippines fielded 743 athletes and emerged overall champion with 113 gold, 84 silver and 94 bronze medals. The Philippines then slipped to sixth overall in 2007 and back up to fifth in 2009.