PSC thanks lawmakers for efforts to bring back athletes’ allowances

FILE – PSC Chairman Butch Ramirez. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

The Philippine Sports Commission, through Chair William Ramirez, expressed its profound gratitude to the country’s lawmakers, whose efforts will bring back the full allowances of athletes and coaches after they were cut into half a few months ago because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We would like to thank Congressman (Abraham) Tolentino, who is also the incumbent POC (Philippine Olympic Committee) president, with the guidance of Speaker (Alan Peter) Cayetano for ensuring the allocation for the allowances of the athletes,’’ said Ramirez.

“So the idea that we don’t need politicians in sports is wrong. We need them in sports to craft laws and help us fund our athletes,’’ said Ramirez.

Tolentino, with the endorsement of Cayetano, inserted P180 million in the approved Bayanihan to Recover as One Act II for the benefit of the national athletes and coaches.

Ramirez said the allocation in Bayanihan II would allow the athletes to enjoy their full monthly stipends again, which were reduced by 50 percent two months ago.

He added the efforts of Tolentino and Cayetano as well as the support of the bicameral body composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives have likewise appropriated funding that would go to the country’s Olympic program and the training of athletes.

After the House of Representatives approved Bayanihan II, the bicameral body with the Senate is set to ratify the measure that includes an additional cash aid of P5,000 for all athletes and coaches.

“We will again ask for the help of both Houses to recover the money of the PSC that was withdrawn by the DBM (Department of Budget Management) for the government’s efforts in fighting the (coronavirus) pandemic,’’ said Ramirez.

The PSC is striving to cover its commitments to the national team after the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act I took P596 million from the agency’s National Sports Development Fund and P773 million from the financial reserve of the PSC that came from the General Appropriations Act.