Philippine Olympic chief calls for budget increase

MANILA, Philippines – Thanks to the country’s success in the Tokyo Olympics, Philippine sports should receive more than what it has been getting the past years.

“Palagay ko dapat madagdagan,” said Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham Tolentino in yesterday’s online Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum.

While the need for additional founds is geared towards the 2024 Paris Games, the country would also join in several international events next year like the Hanoi Southeast Asian Games, assuming it pushes through, and the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

Add to that the 2023 SEA Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, which will be held in February instead of the middle or latter part of the year.

“I-re-remind ko why, meron SEA Games sa Cambodia 2023 that will be February, hindi aabutin budget year sa 2022. Isama na dapat yun,” said the congressman from Tagaytay.

“So talagang bakbakan ulet, baka kulang P1.7 billion,” he added.

The P1.7 billion was the same budget Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) wants to propose to Congress as its budget for 2022.

“After this year, baka tataas pangangailangan because we understand, pandemic tayo, pero kawawa naman succeeding board of commissioners if from P1.7 bilion, maging P250 million ulet,” said Ramirez.

The PSC, using people’s money, has spent around P2 billion after the 2016 Rio Games and funded close to 100 athletes from 18 sports that tried to qualify to Tokyo.

The investment eventually resulted to 19 qualifiers — the biggest in years — and a record-breaking performance following a historic Olympic gold by Hidilyn Diaz in weightlifting, a couple of silver by boxers Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam and a bronze by pug Eumir Marcial.

Tolentino also said it would help if the PSC will be upgraded to a Department.

“Dapat lang magkaroon ng cabinet level, mas may say at mas magiging malakas tayo. Pag me department gaya ng ibang bansa sa buong mundo na may Ministry of Sports, mas malaki tulong nun,” he said.