Local government units tapped to back SEAG bets - Peping

MANILA, Philippines - Aside from the private sector, the Philippine Olympic Committee is also counting on the different local government units or LGUs to provide support for the Filipino athletes competing in the Laos SEA Games in December.

Jose Cojuangco, POC president, yesterday told the PSA Forum that Pangasinan Gov. Armando Espino and Dagupan Mayor Al Fernandez, hosts of the ongoing National Track and Field Open, have opened the doors to the LGU support.

“They said as long as the athlete who will represent the country in the SEA Games is from their province they will support them,” said Cojuangco who graced the forum with a couple of NSA (national sports association) presidents.

Cojuangco said the other LGUs, especially those who are richer in resources and sports history, should follow the example set by Espino and Fernandez as the national government may find it hard to throw in the needed cash.

“If things get worse (funding from government), we can identify all the athletes who are going to Laos as to which province they come from. Then the LGUs can probably help support these athletes,” said Cojuangco.

Cojuangco, who was joined in the forum by his daughter, 2002 Asian Games equestrian gold medalist Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski, said the potential lack of financial support from the government may even turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

“Yes, it can be a blessing in disguise as we hope to raise our own funds for the coming SEA Games and future international competitions. This may push us harder in the POC’s bid to become independent from the national government when it comes to funding,” he said.

Also joining Cojuangco in the weekly sports forum were Mark Joseph of swimming, Julian Camacho of wushu, Leonora Brawner and Terry Lim of archery, Marcus Valda of wrestling, and Efren Reyes, Django Bustamante and Gandy Valle of billiards.

The POC has tapped its own marketing group, which is working out a plan to raise money from the private sector to fund the country’s top athletes on a monthly basis. This way, the money coming from the PSC can be spent on other programs.

“We will fund a limited number of athletes – only those with real potentials of winning the gold,” said Cojuangco, at the moment waiting for the official list of athletes going to Laos as provided by their respective NSAs.

“I heard the PSC (the government’s funding arm in sports) is asking the NSAs for the list of the athletes. But the list should come from the POC first. It’s the POC that will decide who’s going, and not the PSC which only comes in for funding,” added the POC chief.

The equestrian president, whose family owns Hacienda Luisita, the vast sugar plantation, in Tarlac, has also pledged to help sports outside of his own NSAs.

This early, archery has benefited, as Cojuangco promised to provide quarters for the members of the RP archery pool. He said they can train and stay in Hacienda Luisita while they look for a new headquarters.

“Just support us and we will win the gold for you,” Lim told the forum in response to Cojuangco’s pledge of his personal support to archery. – Abac Cordero