Cojuangco: No need for DOS

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco yesterday said the creation of a Department of Sports (DOS) may not be the only solution to the problems ailing Philippine sports.

“It’s not the institution that actually needs reforms,” said Cojuangco, reacting to a strong proposal by businessman-sportsman Mikee Romero to form the DOS.

Once the DOS is formed, sports will have a far bigger representation in the national government because whoever is assigned as head will be a member of the Cabinet.

Cojuangco told The STAR yesterday that if only the chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission is given that privilege, then everything will go on as smooth as everybody wants.

“We need more dedicated people because in the past some people who were in the position did not do anything,” said Cojuangco without naming names.

“And it’s only now that the PSC and the POC are both being run by people who truly understand sports and are in harmony,” said Cojuangco.

Romero was guest of honor in last Saturday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Awards Night, and his 15-minute speech centered on the creation of the DOS.

The successful basketball team owner and president of Philippine National Shooting Association said the DOS will serve as “the new platform for Philippine sports.”

Romero said with the DOS, it will also be easier to draw the needed support from the government, Congress in particular, and the private sector.

He envisioned the DOS of having an annual budget of P2 billion broken down to P1 billion for new infrastructures, P500 million sports administration and P500 million for training and development.

Romero has donated P200,000 from his own pocket as seed money for the DOS campaign and is hoping to gather a million signatures to get the ball rolling.