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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Comm Mon to NSAs: Seek LGU godfathers

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THE Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) reiterated its call to national sports associations (NSAs) to look for other ways and means as they prepare for the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi in November.

PSC Commissioner Ramon Fernandez, chef de mission of Team Philippines to the November 21 to December 2 games, said the sports agency already received the proposed training budget of the NSAs vying in 39 of 40 sports in this year’s SEA Games.

“I almost fell off my seat,” said Fernandez upon seeing the amount of P184 million which only covers 28 NSAs.

The Philippines won the overall title as SEA Games host in 2019 and intends to field 626 athletes to Hanoi in its bid for a strong podium finish despite the pandemic.

“Twenty-eight NSAs submitted their budget for bubble training and it already amounted to P184 million,” Fernandez told the online Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum presented by San Miguel Corp., Milo, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

“The PSC only has a budget of P200 million for the SEA Games,” Fernandez said. “The PSC cannot finance all this. One NSA asked for P5 million and we have 39 NSAs. We need the NSAs to step up also and look for godfathers to help them with facilities, billeting and food.”

“Some have done it [godfather system], while others are still looking. Less than 20 NSAs already have their local government unit partners,” he said.

“The PSC cannot handle all the financial requirements during the pandemic,” the former basketball superstar told the Smart-powered session which has Upstream Media as official webcast partner.

Ormoc City adopted fencing and modern heptathlon, Dumaguete has archery, Zamboanga took in weightlifting, Baguio City and Benguet adopted muay and kickboxing, respectively, while Taguig City got volleyball and table tennis and Tagaytay City cycling and chess.

Bohol, Cebu and Sta. Rosa in Laguna are also heeding the call.

Fernandez said he’s keeping his fingers crossed that the Hanoi SEA Games pushes through as planned and scheduled. He said the agency is awaiting the final word from the SEA Games Federation following reports that the Vietnamese government is considering moving the event to July next year due to the pandemic.

“We will cross the bridge when we get there,” Fernandez said. “But just the same, we are ready.”

Read full article on BusinessMirror

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