House Makabayan bloc wants probe of SEA Games fund use
MANILA, Philippines — The six-member Makabayan opposition bloc in the House of Representatives is seeking a probe on the controversies hounding the use of public funds for the hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.House Resolution No. 602 raised flags on various controversies that hounded the hosting of the biennial sports meet from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11. The government allotted a P5 billion budget for the hosting together with P77.27 million for general administration and support for the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
Bayan Muna Reps. Carlos Zarate, Eufemia Cullamat, Ferdinand Gaite, ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro, Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas and Kabataan Rep. Sarah Elago filed the measure on Thursday.
“Some Filipino athletes expressed their grievances on the lack of funds for support, especially for training and preparations, as compared to the billions of pesos spent for the hosting of the 30th SEA Games,” the six lawmakers said in the resolution.
“It is the primordial duty of Congress, in the exercise of its legislative and oversight functions, to ensure that the people’s money was utilized for the benefit of the Filipino people and not wasted due to government inefficiency and corruption,” they added.
The progressive lawmakers questioned why the WSL-MSC, a sports management system provider, received a notice of award from the Department of Budget and Management just seven weeks before the games, as well as why the Philippine SEA Games Organizational Committee (Phisgoc), led by House Speaker Alan Cayetano, asked PSC to sponsor sportswear for Filipino athletes amounting to P59.2 million.
The Makabayan bloc also noted the controversial P50 million stadium cauldron as well as the P1.5 billion as “financial assistance” Phisgoc accepted.
The party-list representatives also pointed out the hosting’s mishaps which no less than President Rodrigo Duterte had acknowledged.
Among these were the logistical delays and the rushing of construction of unfinished venues, which even injured a construction worker.
Also mentioned was the P11.1 billion loan of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority from a Malaysian firm MTD Capital Berhad for the construction of the first phase of the sports facility in New Clark City.
The Office of the Ombudsman earlier said they created a seven-man fact-finding panel to also investigate the issues.
Read the resolution here:
