What to do with money

National swimmers Jenny Guerrero and Timmy Chua received P237,000 each from the First Gentleman’s "Alay at Suporta sa Atletang Pilipino" about a week before the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Vietnam last year.

The money was earmarked for overseas training.

Guerrero’s father Gavino said when the money was released, his daughter was told by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) to just spend it as she pleased. But there’s only so many swimsuits and goggles you’d care to buy. The money was too much for frivolous spending. If the money was for overseas training, it came too late.

According to Guerrero’s father, the money is virtually intact. He’s now wondering if the money could be spent for travel to an Olympic qualifying competition.

Philippine Amateur Swimming Association (PASA) secretary-general Chito Rivera said swimmers don’t pay their way to the Olympics. They must swim qualifying times in tryouts to earn the ticket to the Olympic qualifiers and the Olympics proper. And if a swimmer gains the ticket, he or she will be supported by the PSC.

National tryouts will be held next month to determine the swimmers who will be sent to Olympic qualifiers up to June. The list of Olympic swimmers will be finalized in July, a month before Athens hosts the quadrennial event.

Rivera said the PASA has not been informed as to how many Olympic qualifiers will be held in Asia. There could be at least three, he noted. National training director Anthony Lozada has already inquired about the schedule. So far, no reply has been received by Lozada.

Rivera noted that other Olympic qualifiers will be held in the US where Fil-Ams J. B. Walsh and Jackie Pangilinan plan to compete.

"Jenny or anybody else is free to go to the US and compete in the qualifiers provided she swims the qualifying time," said Rivera. "If she chooses to compete in the US, the money from the First Gentleman’s fund could be used to augment what the PSC can give. Both the Walsh and Pangilinan families expressed willingness to host Filipino swimmers who plan to compete in the US qualifiers."

Pangilinan, 17, is based in New Jersey while Walsh, 18, lives in Virginia.

So far, only Miguel Molina and Miguel Mendoza have qualified to swim in Athens for the Philippines.

PASA president Chito Ilagan, who recently signed a petition calling for PSC chairman Eric Buhain’s ouster, said he’s ready to face the consequences of challenging the government leadership in sports. Ilagan and some eight other PASA officials dug into their pockets to finance PASA’s programs last year when the PSC failed to release a centavo from an approved budget of P6 Million.

During a recent dialog with Buhain, Ilagan raised the issue of the PSC intervening in the PASA’s affairs. "Can you believe Mr. Buhain’s reaction was pagusapan na lang daw namin sa maboboteng paraan?" continued Ilagan. "We are being persecuted by the PSC. We are being threatened that our office will soon be padlocked. When our swimmers went to Barcelona for the world championships last year, the PASA coach was not given the authority to disburse the PSC’s daily allowance of $30. Why?"

If the PSC continues to ignore the PASA’s plight, Ilagan said the swimming body is prepared to go it alone. An Aquatics Summit is being planned in Alabang in April to put the PASA on track for the SEA Games in 2005. Aside from swimming, the PASA oversees water polo and diving.

Meanwhile, a deluge of text messages flooded my cellphone when the article on the PASA scoring the PSC for interference and persecution was published in The Star the other day.

Here are some of the messages:

"Your article express our sentiment and trust of PASA and officials except for Greg Colmenares. I hope the complaint of one parent does not hinder PASA’s program which includes us in the province. Pls help us in our quest to give due honor to our 4x200 relay team which won the gold in Vietnam. My son Mark Dave Kalaw is one of them." James Kalaw, Bacolod.

"Gud article 2day. Hope that it wil lead 2 a bterment of swimming. Pls cont 2 pray we wil get a gold back n d 4x200 relay so dat recognition b given wer its due." Ernesto Piccio, Bacolod.

"In behalf of the Southern Tagalog Amateur Swimming Association, we all thank you." Mrs. Borja.

"Iv read ur article about PASA. Its about time to get rid of foreign coaches. Fil can do it. Im an avid swim mom who’s a PASA member. Kudos." Assumpta Tan.

"Tnx 4 d writeup. Swimming really need that." Atty. Reynato Estrellano, president, Lake City Swimming Club, San Pablo City.

"Tnx 2 ur column. Its first time that d truth came out about swimming. B4 buhain nd buan took over ncrsa swimming competition every month. Now 0." Ed Cruz, Sea Dragons.

"I always blve dat u 4 d truth nd ur prime concern is d dvlpmnt of sports. Slmt nd I hope dumami pa ang k2lad mo. Mabuhay ka." Chito Ilagan, PASA president.

"4 d first tym may nasulat na totoo 4 swimming. Nabigyan mo ng katarungan ang unselfish effort ng PASA who r all concerned volunteers." Obet Vecino, Weddel Seals Swimming Team.

"I personally bringing my sincere tnx regarding ur article." Coach Jaime Dioquito, La Salle Lipa Swimming Team and Lipa Green Blasters.

"Thank u very much for ur interesting article about swimming." Lani Lanting, vice president, Batangas City Seals Swimming Team.