FUNDING in volleyball is in peril. AUGUST DELA CRUZ
Sports associations seeking funding from the government now need the endorsement of the Philippine Olympic Committee.
Under a new set of guidelines recently released by the Commission on Audit, POC president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. yesterday said the local Olympic body needs to certify that a national sports association is in good standing before requests for funding is approved by the Philippine Sports Commission.
“They (the NSAs) have to comply with the rules the COA has established and one of them is getting the approval from the POC that the NSA is in good standing,” said Cojuangco.
This development is bad news to associations embroiled in leadership disputes and internal wranglings as Filipino athletes prepare for the 28th Southeast Asian Games in Singapore on June 5 to 16.
There are 50 NSAs recognized by the POC and most, if not all, are dependent on government funding through the PSC which is tasked to finance the programs of the associations for the training of their athletes.
With the leadership conflict in volleyball, Philippine Volleyball Federation officials won’t be able to seek monetary support from the PSC.
Together with swimming, the volleyball teams to the SEA Games will train under the supervision of the local Olympic body.
“I’m sure these NSAs and other associations have been fixing their problems so they won’t be affected,” said Cojuangco, also the head of the equestrian association.
The PSC disburses the funds to the NSAs, which must liquidate the full amount released. But some receipts and document that the NSAs turn over to the PSC are deemed unacceptable by COA standards.
PSC chair Richie Garcia said NSAs set to compete in Singapore should also include the training allocation of their athletes in the annual budget that they will present to the sports-financing agency.
Garcia said no supplemental budget will be released for training since preparation of their athletes are already inclusive in the financial requests of the NSAs for international exposure.
“The only time we will release a supplemental budget is when they want to hire a foreign coach. The purchase of special vitamins and supplements for athletes will also be accommodated, but definitely not for foreign trips and exposures,” said Garcia.
The PSC, which sources most of its funding for the athletes from its share from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, has been spending at least P450 million a year for the NSAs.