Only 150 athletes, 10 sports can get total PSC support

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Sports Commission will focus its resources on only 10 sports and 150 elite athletes.

PSC chair Richie Garcia Thursday revealed that the agency will soon identify the athletes and the sports where the bulk of the government sports agency’s funds would be spent in the next two years.

The selection process will be done in consultation with the Philippine Olympic Committee, Garcia said, adding they expect the 150 athletes to first shine in the 2013 Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar.

The 10 chosen sports, he said, should be capable of producing world champions and Olympic medalists.

The country’s athletes brought home a paltry haul of 36 gold, 56 silver and 77 bronze medals to finish sixth overall among 11 countries in the SEA Games held in Indonesia last month.

“Our focus will be on sports where we can excel and have a better chance of molding a world champion or an Olympic medalist,” said the PSC chief.

When the prioritization program kicks into high gear, Garcia said the country could expect to bag 60 to 70 gold medals in the next SEA Games.

He declined to name the sports the agency will fully support but hinted that the combat disciplines of boxing and taekwondo would make the list.

Garcia said the PSC board has also agreed to increase the allowances of the elite athletes, who would be asked to train full-time.

“We are pledging support [to the athletes] to the extent that [they won’t need to work],” he said. “We’re willing to give allowances of as much as P30,000 to P50,000 a month to keep them focused. If you’re an athlete receiving that kind of allowance, you will no longer be allowed to get other jobs.

“For athletes [still] in school, we will come up with a new formula.”