Where PSC’s money went

Gymnastics took the biggest share of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) money pie from January to September last year but after failing to deliver a single gold medal at the recent Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Kuala Lumpur, could be toppled from top of the list.

Only four National Sports Associations (NSAs) received at least P9 million in PSC funds. Gymnastics got P9.6 million, including P4.9 million for equipment. Wushu took P9.4 million, fencing P9.3 million, and shooting P9.2 million.

There were five NSAs that received at least P2 million for equipment. Aside from gymnastics, the NSAs in the high list for equipment were cycling (P3.3 million), archery (P3.1 million), shooting (P2.4 million), and weightlifting (P2.1 million). The five sports produced only a combined two golds at the last SEA Games.

The figures were contained in a confidential PSC document detailing the breakdown of PSC training expenses for NSAs.

In the same 9-month period, the PSC disbursed a total of P20.5 million for foreign coaches. Wushu topped the list at P2.4 million for Chinese coaches Yu Zhi Bo, Liu Hong Yan, Xia Bo Hua, and Qiu Jianhua. Bowling was the only other sport that received at least P2 million but one of its two foreign coaches, Madoka Amano, was denounced by the Philippine Bowling Congress as not working under its supervision.

In all, the PSC spent P242.9 million for NSAs and the largest share went to international exposure and local training which had an allocation of P59.5 million or 25 percent. Three NSAs were given at least P4 million under this category with athletics at P4.6 million, wushu at P4.5 million, and swimming at P4.4 million.

Six sports received less than P1 million — aerobics, boardsailing, bodybuilding, chess, dancesports, and lawnballs. The Philippine Sports Association for the Differently Abled (Philspada) had the least allocation of P26,000 even as the organization bagged a bronze at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics and four golds, eight silvers, and 12 bronzes at the first Asean Para Games in Kuala Lumpur last year.

Athletics took P8.8 million, fifth on the list, and delivered nine golds, 10 silvers, and four bronzes at the last SEA Games. Bowling ranked sixth and got P7.9 million. Bowling brought in four golds, six silvers, and a bronze in Kuala Lumpur.

Boxing, which failed to produce a single gold at the last SEA Games, received P6 million and was one of only two NSAs – the other was basketball – with at least P2 million in payroll. Boxing topped the list in athletes’ allowances with P2.1 million.

The disclosure of the figures prompted Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (PATAFA) president Go Teng Kok yesterday to call for a review of the PSC’s funding priorities in light of each NSA’s performance in Kuala Lumpur.