Garcia: No problem with SEAG budget

MANILA, Philippines - Regardless of the size of the delegation, the Philippine Sports Commission has already allotted P30 million for the country’s actual participation in the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore.

Chairman Richie Garcia of the PSC said the SEA Games management committee led by chef-de-mission Julian Camacho now has a list made up of over 500 athletes.

But it doesn’t mean that everybody will go because in the coming weeks and months, the different national sports associations will have to justify their inclusion.

The number is expected to go down.

“It’s just the initial list for accreditation, the entries by number. The NSAs can include anybody in this list until the organizers ask us to submit the names of our delegates,” said Garcia.

The deadline for this will come in April.

“I foresee that at the end of the day we will have 300 to 400 athletes. I don’t expect to reach the 500 mark,” said Garcia, head of the government’s funding arm in sports.

Camacho is making sure all qualified athletes go and compete in Singapore as the country tries to improve on its standing.

Also part of the management committee are Philippine Olympic Committee vice president Jose Romasanta, Moying Martelino, Chippy Espiritu and Jonne Go.

So far, the PSC chairman doesn’t see any problem with the budget because P30 million should be enough to cover the needs of 300 to 400 athletes and officials.

“It’s for the actual participation – plane tickets, allowances, billeting, uniforms. Everything regarding the actual participation,” said Garcia.

The budget to train the athletes will not come from the P30 million.

“What the NSAs would need for the overseas training of their athletes will already come from their budget for 2015. They should include everything in their budget proposals,” said Garcia.

However, the PSC chief said a supplemental budget may be needed if some or most of the NSAs decide to hire foreign coaches leading to the SEA Games.

“But otherwise, they should include everything in their budget proposals,” said Garcia.