POC to raise own funds for Olympic participation

MANILA, Philippines—For a change, the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) will rely on its resources to fund the country’s campaign in the Olympics.

In an unprecedented move, the POC will set up a marketing body and not seek funding from the Philippine Sports Commission, said Manny Lopez, the country’s chief of mission to the London Olympics, during Friday’s Scoop sa Kamayan.

Lopez said the POC marketing arm will be headed by Tats Suzara, who worked with the PSC for many years before taking on similar marketing activities abroad.

The PSC reportedly earmarked P30 million for the Olympic campaign this July, but Lopez, in a separate interview, said it will be used by the athletes for their training and equipment.

“PSC chair Richie Garcia was in attendance in that Wednesday meeting (presided over by POC president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco) where we told him of our plan to create a POC marketing arm for the purpose of generating funds to send our national contingent to
London,” Lopez said.

Lopez, who is also the POC vice president, earlier said the cost of sending a single athlete to London is about P55,000. The organizers, according to the former boxing chief, will shoulder the board and lodging in London.