Higher sports budget seen if SEAG bets win

Former Philippine Sports Commission official Monico Puentevella, the newly-elected congressman from Bacolod City, said the Philippine Sports Commission may yet receive a bigger budget to put Philippine sports back on the road but this year’s contingent to the Southeast Asian Games must perform according to expectations to justify an increase.

Puentevella, who served as PSC commissioner for seven years before running for a congressional seat earlier this year, said he will bat for a bigger budget for the PSC, knowing its importance in the country’s grassroots development programs.

"That’s why our athletes will have to perform well in Kuala Lumpur. Then we will look for ways to get to President Arroyo regarding the budget. The PSC really needs a bigger budget for it to push through with its programs," said Puentevella, who now heads the House committee on youth and sports.

Joining Puentevella in yesterday’s PSA Sports Foum at the Holiday Inn Manila were Philippine Olympic Committee president Celso Dayrit and PSC chairman Carlos Tuason who had proposed a budget of P249-million for next year.

"I really hope that Congress takes a look at our budget. Next year we’ll have the Asian Games and the expenses will once again come in. Plus the peso devaluation… it really affects our programs and preparations," said Tuason.

Tuason also said the forthcoming SEA Games scheduled Sept. 8 to 17 will also play a major role in the government sports agency’s move to seek a bigger budget from the national government for next year.

"After the SEA Games, maybe we can start giving bigger financial assistance to the NSAs (National Sports Associations) where we have bigger chances of winning in the future. That’s what the other countries have been doing now," he said.

Sports officials also reminded the 352 athletes and 150 officials who are going to represent the country not to take the biennial sports event as a simple joyride or an exposure trip.

"It’s not merely for exposure because even some of the Asian Games (gold medalists) and world champions come from the SEA Games," said Tuason.

"We are going there to compete and that’s the main reason we’re sending our national athletes there," added Tuason in stressing the importance of the regional competition as the country prepares for next year’s Asian Games in Korea.

Dayrit stressed that the SEA Games, being a regional competition, "should not be considered less important" compared to other international meets like the Asian Games and the Olympics where the country has experienced some kind of a drought in terms of victories.