PSC board plans nat’l pool review

The Philippine Sports Commission is looking at the possibility of reinstating athletes who were removed from the national pool by the agency’s previous administration.

At least 500 athletes, majority of whom belonged to the developmental pool, lost their monthly allowances when former PSC chair Harry Angping streamlined the RP pool and kept only those with strong medal potentials.

PSC chair Richie Garcia said many athletes were forced to retire while several others abandoned plans of joining the RP team to find better sources of income elsewhere.

“How I wish we could pay the retroactive allowances of those athletes who still continue to train even without financial support,” said Garcia.

He said the board will review the old list and justify the allowances that should be given to the reinstated athletes.

A former national golfer, Garcia said he would call for a board meeting twice a week to “discuss the finances of the PSC, the expenses of the athletes and the agency’s share from other government agencies such as Pagcor.”

Based on initial estimates, the PSC would spend P25 million of its P30 million Asian Games budget for a 220-man delegation in the Nov. 12 to Nov. 27 continental competition.