PSC to NSAs: Liquidate or we’ll see you in court

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is hoping to finally put an end to the perennial problem of unliquidated cash advances by the different national sports associations or NSAs.

Chairman Richie Garcia yesterday said he and Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco recently sat down with Commission on Audit chairperson Gracia Pulido Tan.

They tried to find the solution to the problem concerning the unliquidated cash advances amounting to P21 million over the last couple of years for 20 NSAs and a few million more from way, way back.

“To those with unliquidated cash advances over the last two or three years under our administration, the PSC will soon write them demand letters,” said Garcia.

“It’s unfair to those who liquidate. This is a warning. It’s sad to say but we have to go to court if needed or the PSC will be held responsible. Individually, we can file cases against them,” he added.

The liquidation of cash advances has been a problem for the PSC, whose main role is to fund the programs of the close to 50 NSAs.

Annually, the PSC spends close to P400 million for the NSAs, including the salaries and allowances of the coaches and athletes, their training, local and foreign, equipment and other needs.

“Are they going to liquidate or not? That will be in our demand letter. We can stop granting financial assistance to delinquent NSAs but it’s difficult because the athletes will be affected.

“I’m biting the bullet now. Even if they are our friends, so be it. It’s their responsibility and they have to answer to it. Hindi ko gusto ito but we have to do it,” said Garcia.

Garcia said regarding the unliquidated cash advances from many years back, there’s a possibility that they can be written off.

The PSC chief said they are now trying to segregate the “hopeless accounts,” come up with a list and forward them to the COA.

He said it was explained to them by the COA chairperson that cash advances that were carried over from one administration to another will have to be studied.

Garcia said most officials to whom these cash advances were issued are no longer around or in some cases, the NSAs have been totally revamped, renamed and now under new leaderships.

“After exhausting everything and we think there is no way to liquidate, then the COA can study it and they can be written off, but definitely not those over the last three years,” said Garcia. 

While some can get away with it, the PSC will make sure the others won’t.