Sponsors offer P1 million, sports center for athletes' training

MANILA, Philippines - Lamoiyan Corp. owner Cecilio Pedro pledged P1 million cash while the Filipino-Chinese Amateur Athletic Federation, headed by Angel Ngo, offered a three-hectare multi-sports complex for the training of the Filipino athletes seeing action in the 2009 Laos Southeast Asian Games.

Philippine Sports Commission chair Harry Angping, along with PSC commissioners Akiko Thomson, Fr. Vic Uy, Joey Mundo and Eric Loretizo, and Ngo yesterday signed the memorandum of agreement during the 20th anniversary celebration of the FCAAF Monday night at the Century Park Hotel.

Also present were former Olympian and shooting chief Art Macapagal and Philippine Olympic Committee secretary-general Steve Hontiveros.

“It’s a good start,” said Angping. “What’s left now is to look for the land where the complex would be built.”

Angping said the money coming from Pedro, who also owns the Hapee Toothpaste in the PBL, would help cover the food allowance of six to eight RP swimmers.

“We are here to help RP sports,” said Pedro, a former PBL chairman.

“He (Pedro) is looking at supporting six to eight swimmers who will compete in the Laos Southeast Asian Games,” said Angping. “We will sign the MOA soon.”

Angping said he hopes to draw more support from the Filipino-Chinese group to be used in the country’s buildup for the biennial meet slated Dec.9-18.

“Money is not a problem because we have many businessmen-friends who we could tap as patrons,’’ said Angping.

Nearly a thousand Filipino-Chinese businessmen graced the celebration hosted by the FCAAF.

“We will support the PSC not just in words but in action,” said a top brass of the FCAAF.

There are also plans to seek the help of China’s sports ministry, according to Angping, a former special envoy to China before his PSC appointment.

“We’ll go to Xiamen and Shamen soon and seek their support,” said Angping.