Senate okays PSC abolition

The Senate committee on games, amusement and sports recommended yesterday the abolition of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and the creation of the Philippine Sports Authority which will integrate, promote and regulate both the amateur and professional sports in the country.

Sen. Robert Jaworski, chairman of the Senate committee on games, amusement and sports, said the proposed measure is embodied under the Senate Committee Report No. 175, which seeks to address the problems confronting the Filipino athletes' poor performances in various international competitions and recommend the creation of the PSA.

It is now up to President Estrada to act on the recommendation while Jaworski is expected to push for the passage of Senate Bill 1895 creating the PSA, an independent sports regulatory body with quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial functions under the Office of the President.

An initial amount of P100 million will be provided for the operating expenses of the proposed PSA, which would integrate all sports agencies in the country including the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Bureau of Physical Education and School Sports and the Games and Amusement Board (GAB). The GAB has maintained it could not be under PSA because it is a regulatory body for pro sports.

PSC chair Carlos Tuason said he would respect the Senate committee's measure but expressed doubts on the PSA's ability to uplift the state of Philippine sports.

"Kung ang P400 M budget na hinihingi namin kulang pa, 'yun pa kayang P100 million na balak nilang ibigay sa proposed PSA," said Tuason.

"Actually, we haven't received any notification from the Senate as far as that bill is concerned and we will gladly give them our side as soon as they ask us to," added Tuason.

Tuason said the PSC and the House of Representatives are working hand in hand with three bills in the Congress seeking to trace the problems hounding RP sports and finding solutions for them although he figured that the main problem boils down to two things - money and the PSC law itself.

"As we can see it, the problems here are the law and the money to be used. We need to strengthen the law of the PSC so as to cope with the changing times. And whatever agency you put here, nothing will happen if there is no money," stressed Tuason.

Tuason added that the proposed PSA would only complicate things since the bill aiming to create it will combine amateur sports with professional sports.

"We still believe that amateur and pro sports should be kept separated because we see amateur sports as developmental while pro sports as regulatory," Tuason said.

Under the Jaworski bill, all programs, projects and contracts of the PSC shall be terminated before the year 2000 ends.

The sports authority will headed by a chairman and four members of the board to be appointed by the President from a list of nominees provided by duly recognized sports associations all over the country.