PSC seeks half billion budget for five key meets

There are nine major competitions across the globe next year that Filipino athletes can take part of.

And the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is looking to fund stints in a majority of them.

The PSC forwarded a proposed budget of over P546 million to the Department of Budget and Management on Tuesday to finance the nation’s participation in five of these nine tournaments.

“We are hoping that the proposed budget will be approved by our country’s leaders. As a former athlete, the unwavering support of the government along with the full backing of the Filipino people are vital for our success,’’ said PSC commissioner and officer in charge Olivia “Bong’’ Coo.

Almost half of the suggested funding will be allocated for the PH delegation to the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in the middle of next year. The country’s stint there will cost about P250 million.

The government hopes that the national athletes can surpass the previous fourth-place overall output in the Games held three months ago in Hanoi, Vietnam.

The nation’s participation in the 19th Asian Games (Asiad) in Hangzhou, China, on Sept. 23 to Oct. 8 next year has a P100-million tacked to it. The Philippines is hoping to better its stint in the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asiad in Indonesia, where the national athletes took home four gold, two silver and 15 bronze medals.

Other tournaments

Other high-level tournaments on the pipeline that need funding in 2023 are the 4th World Combat Games in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (P72 million), and 6th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Bangkok-Chonburi, Thailand (P67 million).

Another multisport event on the lineup is the 2nd World Beach Games in Bali, Indonesia, with a proposed allotment of P56 million.

The budget for participation in the Asean Para Games in Cambodia and Asian Para Games in Hangzhou plus two global-level competitions of Fiba (International Basketball Federation) and Fifa (International Federation of Association Football) are still being finalized by the PSC.

The country’s para athletes have exceeded expectations in the recent Asean Para Games in Indonesia where the team set a new record in terms of gold medals won with 28 golds, 30 silvers and 46 bronzes.

After raising the bar in the Asean Para Games and the Asian Para Games in 2018, the national para athletes will chase unparalleled success in the 12th Asean Para Games from June 3 to 9 in Cambodia and the Asian Para Games from Oct. 22 to 28 in Hangzhou, China.

“We are happy and proud that our Filipino athletes have reached this level and are up against the best teams in the world. We will support them in any way we can,’’ said Coo.

The Philippine women’s football team qualified to the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, the team’s first participation in the global meet, while the country will host the Fiba World Cup next year featuring the Gilas men’s basketball team. INQ