PSC to NSAs: Request early for training needs

MANILA, Philippines - National Sports Associations (NSAs) that have athletes gearing up for forthcoming international events have until Feb. 15 to present their requests as far as training requirements are concerned.

Robert Mananquil, a member of the Southeast Asian Games joint task force, said the NSAs should waste no time presenting their requests before the Philippine Sports Commission.

“Because of the procurement law and the bidding process within the PSC, the NSAs have just enough time left to do this,” said Mananquil, a board member of the Philippine Olympic Committee.

The PSC is a government agency, and procurement of sports equipment or upgrading of sports facilities will have to go through bidding.

Mananquil said the SEA Games task force composed of officials from the PSC and the POC are rounding out meetings with various NSAs for this year’s SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur.

But the requests may also cover the need of the athletes gearing up for the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia and the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires.

“Chairman Butch Ramirez of the PSC said as long as the requests are for the SEA Games, Asian Games and Youth Olympics, they will process it,” said task force head Tom Carrasco of triathlon.

Mananquil, secretary-general of the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines, said the PSC wants ample time to work on the requests.

He explained that procurement of equipment overseas takes three months or more and the PSC wants the requests in their hands before Feb. 15.

“We don’t expect any problem if the needed equipment can be procured and purchased locally but for those that need importation, it may take a longer time,” said Carrasco.

The PSC is trying to avoid any delay in the procurement and arrival of equipment needed for training and the actual competition.

There have been instances where equipment purchased by the PSC for a particular competition came in very late and therefore rendered useless.

But the PSC is not always to blame because in some cases, it’s the NSA that caused the delay in the request and actual procurement.

The NSAs can also request for the upgrading of training facilities. In the case of diving, the SEA Games task force received word that the diving facility at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex is not up to international standards.