No PSC aid for NSAs with unliquidated funds

MANILA, Philippines - Lamenting how the national sports associations have reverted to their old ways in liquidating financial assistance, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Richie Garcia warned the NSAs that their current requests for funding will be junked if they still fail to comply with government’s policy on liquidation.

According to Garcia, some 20 NSAs have yet to submit their liquidation papers for the funding they received from the PSC last year, ranging from P60,000 to P300,000.

“Nagiging problema na naman uli ng maraming NSAs na di nakakapag-liquidate during their Asian Games preparations (The NSAs’ failure to liquidate their financial assistance from last year is becoming a problem again),” Garcia said.

Since assuming office last July 2010, Garcia and his board has adopted a “no-liquidation, no-funding” policy, apparently to avoid unliquidated cash advances piling up like before. In the past, NSAs got away with unliquidated accounts stretching over years, making it difficult for the PSC to go after officials who are no longer with the NSAs.

“We’ll not back out on this policy. Kapag wala silang liquidation, even though it’s a small amount and they are going to a very important event, ide-deny namin (If they still won’t liquidate, we’ll deny their request for assistance regardless if it’s a small amount or if they’re going to a very important event),” Garcia said.

“This is a policy made by the PSC and it’s non-negotiable, para naman matuto na rin yung mga NSAs (so NSAs will learn to comply),” he added.

The PSC will release P400 million in total assistance to 53 NSAs this year, provided they have no unliquidated funding, of course.