THE country’s top two sports organizations will call on local government units (LGUs) which will be willing to “adopt” national sports associations (NSAs) whose athletes will be competing in the Hanoi 31st Southeast Asian Games later this year.
The option was agreed upon by the SEA Games Task Force composed of officials of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) in a virtual meeting on Wednesday where they also decided on a July 1 start for a conventional training for the 626 athletes initially named to Team Philippines.
“If there’s someone with the passion in sports, who will adopt an NSA, then we will make the offer,” POC President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said. “If none, we’ll still go for it and find other ways.”
The “adopt an NSA” option was in anticipation of a possible short fall in the P200 million budget which the PSC earmarked for the games set from November 21 to December 2. The budget will be equally divided for the training and actual participation of the athletes who will be competing in all, but one (petanque) sport, in the Hanoi program..
“What if the P200 million falls short?” asked Tolentino, adding the Covid-19 pandemic couldn’t be factored out in setting a budget for the SEA Games as well as the liquidity of LGUs which continue to struggle during the health crisis.
Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez has adopted athletes from the fencing association which he heads, while Dumaguete City, known as the epicenter of archery in the country, took in the archers,
Tolentino, president of the cycling NSA, said cyclists and skateboarders will be adopted by Tagaytay City.
PSC Commissioner Ramon Fernandez, the chef de mission to the SEA Games, said setting a July 1 start for training would allow LGUs elbow room in adopting NSAs.
“We still have time to talk with the LGU officials,” he said.
The task force also put less weight on vaccinating members of Team Philippines.
“We cannot implement a no-vaccine, no-training policy. What if the vaccine only arrives in December?” Tolentino said. “So even if there’s a vaccine or none, training will push through [in July].”
Joining Tolentino and Fernandez in the meeting were POC Secretary General Atty. Edwin Gastanes and Deputy Secretary General Karen Caballero, and PSC Executive Director Atty. Guillermo Iroy Jr., Deputy Executive Directors Queenie Evangelista and Merlita Ibay and National Training Director Marc Velasco.
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