PSC budget for 2015 up to P187M

The Philippine Sports Commission will operate on a P187-million budget next year.

PSC chair Richie Garcia said the appropriation would be intended for the government agency’s various sports programs such as the Batang Pinoy and the expanded version of the Philippine National Games beginning 2015.

Garcia added that a huge fraction of the budget would go to the day-to-day affairs of the PSC, including the maintenance of sports facilities and venues and the salaries of its officials and employees.

“We’re very thankful for the outcome,” said Garcia. “It will allow us to implement our programs smoothly in the coming year.”

The Senate earlier approved an appropriation of P183 million while the House of Representatives proposed P186 million.

The bicameral body later on agreed to allocate P187 million to the PSC, an increase from the agency’s P182.3-million budget this year.

Aside from the grassroots programs, Garcia said they would set aside P30 million for the Philippine campaign in the Southeast Asian Games in Singapore on June 5 to 16.

The approved budget will augment the National Sports Development Fund, roughly P50 million monthly and which bankrolls the training and international exposure of PH athletes.

Fire razes pencak silat center

Meanwhile, an early morning fire razed the national pencak silat training center inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex yesterday.

At least P1 million worth of equipment were damaged by the fire whose origin is still undetermined.

Philippine Sports Commission executive director, lawyer Guillermo Iroy, said no athlete was hurt in the fire which was contained right away and prevented from spreading into other national sports association gyms. With a report from Marc Anthony Reyes