P400M PSC budget not enough for 53 NSAs

MANILA, Philippines - Not even cost-cutting measures and streamlining of activities within the Philippine Sports Commission will be enough to make the budget work for the 53 national sports associations (NSAs).

“We’ve already initiated a lot of cost-cutting measures,” said PSC chairman Richie Garcia, saddened by the fact that with P400 million to spend this year, as compared to last year’s P154 million, still it is not enough.

“Medyo malungkot nga,” he said.

“If you compare the budget last year, it’s already more than double this year. We have P400 million this year but the budget proposals from all the NSAs could reach P600 million. So, what can we do?” Garcia asked.

The PSC, he said, has initiated a lot of cost-cutting measures since July, getting rid of all the overpricing or the overhiring of security and janitorial personnel, and the so many middlemen involved in all the PSC purchases.

“In the past, every purchase will have to go through an agent, a broker. Now we go straight to the dealer. And regarding the purchase of plane tickets, we already get them online, which is much cheaper. No more travel agencies,” Garcia said.

The PSC has cut down on the number of contractual employees.

“That’s why we have savings. And they will go to the athletes. That’s why we have P400 million this year. I’m not saying this is enough because definitely it’s not,” added the PSC chairman.

Harry Angping, the former chairman, initiated the cost-cutting measures under his watch, getting rid of the ghost employees or even ghost coaches under the PSC payroll.

Angping also found ways to cut the PSC expenses in water and electricity, and unearthed irregularities on gasoline allowances of some PSC officers and the motorpool.

“Yet, kulang pa rin. Singapore has an annual budget amounting to P4.3 billion for sports. And they only have a population of 17 million. And us, with over 90 million, we only have P400 million this year,” Garcia said.

Again, it’s the main reason why the PSC is hoping that the Philippines Amusement and Gaming Corporation under Cristino Naguiat would remit to the PSC five percent of its monthly gross income.

The PSC currently gets close to P40 million a month from Pagcor, representing 2.5 percent of the latter’s monthly earnings, when under the law Garcia said it should be double.