FG starts pledging session for RP bets

Once again, the private sector will play a major role in the country’s bid for sports excellence.

According to Philippine Sports Commission chairman Butch Ramirez, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo will soon call for another pledging session aimed at raising P200 million.

The amount, according to Ramirez, is needed to train the country’s finest athletes who will hopefully vie in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and probably help the country nail down the elusive gold medal.

Ramirez has consulted the officials of more than a dozen sports associations and came up with a list of around 40 athletes considered as medal potentials in the Beijing Olympics.

These athletes will undergo an extensive and expensive training program, with most of them staying abroad, in Asian and European countries, longer than they have ever done before.

"Some of these athletes could be out of the country for 15 months. They will train where the world’s best train. Some of them will stay in China, Korea, France, Russia or the US," he said.

Ramirez said once the budget is finalized, it will be presented to the First Gentleman who will then map out plans on how to raise it through the private sector.

Arroyo has done the same thing for the 2005 Manila SEA Games, and was so successful at it, raising more than P160 million in just one sitting, one pledging session held at Malacañang.

"Without the First Gentleman, we couldn’t have raised that amount. This time, he said he will once again help our athletes by raising the needed fund," said Ramirez.

The PSC chief said the private sector will never hesitate throwing millions of pesos into the hat as long as it’s the First Gentleman at the helm.

San Miguel Corporation emerged as the biggest donor in 2005 with its P100 million.

"San Miguel has always been there for us. And its president, Mr. Ramon Ang, has assured that we can always count on them," said Ramirez.

Who expects the others to follow the SMC excample.

The chosen athletes will be based overseas, and will only leave when there are other international tournaments to join, like the 24th Southeast Asian Games in December.

Ramirez said the country might need as much as P200 million to fund its Olympic drive. This year’s SEA Games, and the countless other international tournaments, will be in the picture.