MANILA, Philippines - Outgoing Senator Franchis ‘Chiz’ Escudero sees the incoming members of the 17th Congress as possibly receptive to calls for changes in Republic Act 6847 to help boost the country’s sports programs.
The law otherwise known as the Philippine Sports Commission Act enacted in 1990, Escudero said, needs to be revisited for possible amendments.
According to Escudero, most glaring is the need to grant the PSC chairman a fixed term of six year for the country’s top government sports leader to maximize all programs that would also help boost the country’s chances at winning its very first Olympic gold medal, as well as bolster programs aimed at strengthening Philippine chances in various international competitions.
Filipino athletes compete in the biennial Southeast Asian Games where their performance waned since winning the overall crown in 2005 in Manila, and in the Asian Games where only cyclist Daniel Caluag won a gold medal last year in Incheon, South Korea.
The Philippines also competes in various Asian-level and in International and World tournaments in various disciplines.
“A quarter of a century is enough time and reason for our lawmakers to revisit the PSC law. Not because it needs an overhaul, but because there’s now a need to strengthen some of its provisions so we can bolster our future sports programs,” Escudero said.
Foremost among these needs, according to Escudero, is to make the PSC chairman secure in his position.
“Six years, as we have advocated years ago, would be enough for a PSC Chairman to push programs that would better our chances in international competitions, including the Olympics,” Escudero said.
This, according to Escudero, would be easier for the next congress to push as new, young and vibrant leaders would make it to the 17th Congress after next year’s elections.
“Young lawmakers have noticed that our sports performance has declined through the years. But with more young congressmen and senators whose passion for sports remain, it’s not impossible that RA 6847 would be among the more important laws which would be discussed and revisited soon,” Escudero said.
Aside from giving the PSC leader a fixed term, Escudero said also worth reviewing is the PSC’s share from the various agencies which contribute to its funds, including the Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), the horseracing industry and the Bureau of Customs’ contributions from taxes imposed on the importation of sports equipment.