POC eyes budget for five international meets

MANILA, Philippines — The country would need an additional budget worth P450 million to bankroll the national team’s campaigns in five major international sports events next year including the Hangzhou Asian Games.

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham Tolentino yesterday sent the budget request in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) to Senate President Tito Sotto through Senate committee on appropriations chair Sonny Angara, House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman William Ramirez.

Tolentino said they would need P250 million to fund 250 to 275 athletes in the Hangzhou Asiad set Sept. 10-25.

The rest of the money would go to the Winter Games (P5 million) slated in Beijing from Feb. 4-20, the Sixth Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (P150 million) in Bangkok and Chonburi, Thailand from March 10-20, The World Games or TWG (P10 million) in Birmingham, Alabama from July 7-22 and the Fifth Asian Youth Games or AYG (P15 million) in Shantou, China from Dec. 20-28.

“Participation in these high level sports events is truly significant as these are held only every four years,” said the congressman from Tagaytay. “Not only will joining these sports events showcase the Filipino brand of athletic talent, but more so elevate the morale of our athletes and inspire other young Filipinos to engage in sports training and development.”

Tolentino stressed it would need an extra P200 million should the Hanoi Southeast Asian Games not canceled next year.

The biennial event was originally scheduled late this year but host Vietnam opted to postpone it due to the COVID-19 pandemic.