PSC warns unproductive associations

The cash-starved Philippine Sports Commission is bent on wielding the axe on non-performing NSAs (national sports associations) starting with the national delegation that will be seeing action in the 26th Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia on Nov. 11 to 25.
With the games only two months away before the country’s hopefuls participate in this biennial sports meet, PSC Chair Ritchie Garcia said he was ready to face up with these unproductive NSAs.
The SEA Games is a good gauge if the PSC wants to exercise financial prudence in disbursing the P500 million or so of the annual budget for the training and maintenance of national athletes. There are now around 784 athletes distributed among 40 NSAs under the umbrella of the Philippine Olympic Committee.
For this year’s Indon bash, a budget of P30 million has been allotted to Filipino athletes entered in 39 sports in the SEA Games calendar. They are expected to win 50 to 60 gold medals, a number that appears to be good only for fifth or sixth place in the 11-country competitions. The SEA Games is the lowest-ranked international meet in which Filipino athletes compete, the projected bloated list of some 900 athletes and officials was later trimmed to 450.

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Sportsman-businessman  Mario Villamor is setting the pace in this year’s NCA (National Cockers’ Alliance) Stag Derby circuit by winning back-to-back victories during the first two legs of the star-studded sabong series.
“I came prepared for this season’s NCA calendar,” said the youthful and good-looking Villamor, a familiar face in big-time derbies known for his signature “Phoenix” battle cocks.
A two-time NCA Cocker of the Year (1995 and 2010), Villamor emerged as solo champion last Tuesday and wound up joint winner with Bebot Roxas on Sept. 13 during the NCA stag derby opener at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City, sweeping the championship with an impressive record of five points.
The NCA is the most prestigious and long-standing association of game fowl breeders and cockers, counting among its members Rep. Patrick Antonio, former Rizal Gov. Ito Ynares, Undersecretary Jun Santiago, Rep.  Rudy Albano, Gerry Ramos and boxing great Manny Pacquiao, among others.
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Nancy Leongson of the Philippine Racing Commission has e-mailed us with the midyear list of the country’s leading horse owners and earnings as of June this year. Her Top 20 list follows:  1. Morales NO (P6,910,092.24) 2. Puyat AG (P6,885,217.05) 3. Lapus J.  (P4,580,955.11) 4. Dimacuha R. (P3,848,074.91) 5. Dyhengco JC (P3,574,170.84) 6.  Santos E.  (P3,561,202.42) 7. De Ubago A. Jr (P3,555,024.13)  8. Esguerra H. (P3,427,353.14) 9. Javier M. (P3,379,413.77)  10. Naval L. (P3,138,630.01) 11. Esquivias S. (P3,084,324.12) 12. Gonzalez E. (P2,956,032.73) 13. Jade Bros. Freight (P2,861,168.23) 14. Floirendo A.  Sr (P2,855,009.32) 15. Sevilla F. Jr (P2,759,243.12)  16. Garces A. (P2,694,892.94) 17. Mendoza D. (P2,685,887.00) 18.  Lim F. (P2,557,129.65) 19.  Javier R. (P2,537,496.70) and 20. Tan W. (P2,441,025.19).
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Diehard Alaska basketball fan, Darius Diaz, has one fond wish for his daughter Dariane Joyce, who marked her 11th birthday Sept. 23:  May she always remain a God-fearing,  upright and law-abiding citizen who will do the family proud.