Sport bodies hand P20M to POC for rehabilitation

MANILA, Philippines – The world sporting bodies have donated $450,000 (about P20,250,000) to the Philippines, specifically targeted at rehabilitating sports facilities and improvement of equipment destroyed by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” in the Visayas last November.

Through Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr., the POC received the aid Saturday during the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) General assembly at Philippine International Convention Center.

The breakdown is $150,000 each from the OCA, International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Solidarity.

“While we realized the magnitude of the needs of your NOC (national Olympic committee) and indeed your country as a whole are of towering proportions, we are nevertheless pleased to inform you that the Olympic movement has decided to offer a special subsidy,” stated a letter signed by IOC president Thomas Bach and OCA head Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah.

The fund will be used for the sports facilities and equipment washed away by Yolanda, particularly those in Tacloban in Leyte.

One of those wiped out was the Leyte Sports Complex, which even had casualties from among the 80 student-athletes of the Leyte Sports Academy.

The IOC will coordinate with its representative to the Philippines, Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski, and Olympic Solidarity deputy director Pamela Vipond on how to implement the project.

Meanwhile, the Japan Olympic Committee also handed $30,000 for the recovery of the typhoon-battered region through the POC.

“That is why it was such a privilege for us to host this event, these people are capable of helping,” said Cojuangco.