MANILA, Philippines - Opposition Sen. Chiz Escudero called for an end to bickerings among leaders of the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee as the country braces for the 25th Southeast Asian Games in Laos in December.
Escudero said he expects the Senate Committee on Games, Amusement and Sports to act soon on his resolution calling for an investigation into the POC-PSC turf war, which has prejudiced SEA Games preparations of athletes.
“With less than four months to go, we continue to read about ongoing intramurals in various sports associations and conflicting claims by the PSC and the POC on our chances, based on their respective reading of the situations and prospects, which is far from inspiring our athletes who are going to compete in Laos,” he said.
“Our sports officials could not work together unless they shed their loyalties to their respective factions and patrons. The reports reaching us are not encouraging, because political patronage seems to be disrupting even Philippine sports, which, in an ideal set up, should be free and fair,” Escudero added.
He said “factionalism among various sports organizations has prejudiced the interest and welfare of Filipino athletes” and wants the Senate Committee on Games, Amusement and Sports to look into and address other possible sources of conflict through legislative means.
While the Senate, Escudero said, supports the plans and programs of both the PSC and POC, only a unified national sports promotion and development program, free of the continuing tension among sports organizations and their leaders, would work.
He said infighting in sports practically puts all Filipino athletes in limbo, affecting their practice and focus.
Escudero, a long-time advocate of a fixed term for the PSC chairman, said he would look into the merits of amendments to Republic Act 6847, the law which created the PSC in 1990, to see how it could be more responsive to the calls of the He also promised to look for ways to strengthen the financial standing of the PSC and how it could respond to the promotion of both elite and grassroots sports.
Although the POC and the National Sports Associations are autonomous bodies, being non-government organizations, Escudero said they should also be accountable for each centavo that they receive from government in various forms of assistance.
“There should be give and take, but with it comes great responsibility, because it’s the people’s money they are spending. We, in the Senate, don’t want to waste the people’s taxes by misspending or through graft and corruption, which, if reports are true, has also become prevalent in sports,” Escudero said.