Trillanes eyes probe on Phl sports woeful state

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV has called for an inquiry into the state of sports development in the country in light of the dismal showing of Filipino athletes in both the London Olympics and the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games).

Trillanes, earlier this week filed Resolution 838, said that the Senate committee on amateur sports competitiveness, of which he is the chairman, would conduct the inquiry to determine the issues hounding sports development in the country and if necessary, craft remedial legislation to address the problems.

“We recognize the talent of our Filipino athletes and their display of perseverance, dedication, moral courage, strength of character and competitive spirit in various athletic competitions. It is very evident, however, based on our recent performances in global and regional competitions, that our country is not at par with the Olympic competitors and lags behind our Southeast Asian neighbors as well,” Trillanes said.

During the recently concluded Summer Olympics held in London, the Philippines sent a total of 11 athletes, none of which were able to produce a medal for the country.

Almost all of them did not even make it past the first round of their respective events.

In the case of the SEA Games held in Jakarta, Indonesia last November, the Philippines finished a mere sixth place with a total medal haul of 169 medals, including 36 gold medals.

It finished just ahead of perennial cellar dwellers Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Timor-Leste and Brunei.

The last time that the Philippines secured a medal in the Olympics was in 1996 when Mansueto Velasco won a silver medal in Atlanta.

Trillanes noted that there were some apparent problems with funding for sports development as admitted by the Philippine Sports Commission during a public hearing last year.

During that hearing, the PSC leadership lamented that the previous administration used the funds intended for the athletes and coaches for employees.

Trillanes also cited the statement of PSC chairman Ricardo Garcia in 2010 about the many issues being faced by the sports sector including the lack of funds, poor coordination between agencies and red tape.

“Corollary to the aforementioned, the low priority given to physical education in the country and the failure to prioritize the development of a corps of capable coaches, trainers and/or officials with proper training and/or appropriate background and experience has not helped at all in recognizing and/or harnessing sports as an important and significant tool for national development and the promotion of health and well-being of our countrymen,” Trillanes said.

Trillanes said that an inquiry must be conducted by the Senate on this issue in order to find corrective measures to address the long-time problems hounding Philippine sports.