More funding for PSC pushed to cover int’l tournaments in 2021

MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker has raised the need for the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) to get additional funds that would help athletes in four international tournaments next year.

During the House deliberations on the proposed P171.88 million budget of PSC, Cavite 8th Dist. Rep. Abraham Tolentino expressed concerns that the amount does not cover international tournaments such as the Tokyo Olympics, which was moved to 2021.

“Kailangan talaga ng PSC na madagdagan ang budget specifically for all the tournament, international tournaments for next year,” Tolentino said.

“Alam naman natin na baka ito na ‘yung taon na magkaroon tao ng kauna-unahang ginto [sa Olympics] kaya’t hindi natin ito pwedeng pabayaan,” he added.

Tolentino said that funds will also be needed for the 2021 Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam.

“Alam naman natin na katatapos lang last year ng SEA Games na tayo ang nag-overall champion. With that, hindi rin natin pabayaan na from overall champion, baka tayo bumagsak from overall to 7th or 6th dahil lang sa kakulangan sa budget,” Tolentino said.

Aside from the Tokyo Olympics and the SEA Games, Tolentino added that budget will also be needed for the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games as well as the Asian Youth Games.

“Sa sinabing budget ng PSC na P170 million, imposibleng mayroong nakalaan for those four big events for 2021. With that, after computing the needed budget, kakailanganin po siguro ng PSC ng additional P510 million for 2021 specifically for those four big events for next year,” he added.

But Surigao del Norte Rep. Bingo Matugas, who defended PSC’s 2021 budget, said the commission needs more than P510 million.

According to Matugas, PSC is also requesting an additional P1.1 billion to pay for infrastructure projects in which constructions were halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“That particular budget was taken by our national government to use as part of the cover response,” Matugas said.

KGA