PSC limits Philippine bets in Jakarta SEA Games to 650

MANILA—No more than 650 athletes and officials.

That’s the limit set by the Philippine Sports Commission on the size of the country’s delegation to the Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia in November.

PSC chair Ritchie Garcia said going over the limit would require a budget much bigger than the P30 million allocated by the sports-funding agency for the country’s participation in the 11-nation competition in the cities of Jakarta and Palembang on Nov. 11-22.

Garcia told yesterday’s PSA Forum at Shakey’s UN Avenue that the delegation ideally should include about 400 athletes competing in 41 sports and at least 200 officials—coaches, trainers, members of the technical and medical groups and the secretariat.

The Philippine Olympic Committee needs to prune its 900-strong preliminary roster down substantially when it submits the final list to the SEA Games organizers at the end of the month.

According to Garcia, the PSC will spend at least P80,000 for the airfare, allowances and billeting of every member of the delegation during the Games.

“It shouldn’t go over 650,” said Garcia, who predicted a top three finish for the Philippines in the biennial meet. “That figure is the ideal size of the delegation.”

The country wound up fifth overall with 38 gold, 35 silver and 51 bronze medals in the Games’ 2009 Laos edition ruled by Thailand.

“Our stand is to improve on our finish in Laos,” Garcia said during the public sports program presented by Smart, Pagcor, Shakey’s, and Outlast Battery, “I’m confident that we will surpass our performance.”

Garcia’s said his confidence emanates from the support the national sports associations have received from the PSC.