PSC donates Christmas party fund to typhoon victims

THE PHILIPPINE Sports Commission is doing its share in helping the victims of Typhoon Pablo in Mindanao.

The agency announced last Friday that there will be no  Christmas party for its more than 400 employees with the budget of P900,000 for the annual gathering to be used to buy goods that will be given to the typhoon victims, most of them in Campostela Valley.

PSC commissioner Jolly Gomez said the board decided to instead throw a thanksgiving get-together among 1,000 members of the national team at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

PSC chair Richie Garcia also announced that they have released funds for the athletes’ and coaches’ Christmas bonus worth P3,000 each.

“You can check your ATM on Monday and get your P3,000 Christmas bonus,” Garcia told the cheering athletes who were treated to a roast cow dinner, live entertainment and raffle prizes Friday.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr., was also present and told the athletes not to believe newspaper reports   calling the country’s stints in international competitions as a “debacle.”

Cojuangco even congratulated the athletes because “fifty percent of you always comes home with a medal from meets abroad.”

Meanwhile, there were reports that some of the allies of the POC chief, who  recently earned a fresh four-year mandate unopposed, are jockeying for position as  secretary general which is appointed by the president.

Among those reported in the short list are incumbent Steve Hontiveros of handball, Jonne Go of canoe-kayak and Jeff Tamayo of soft tennis. Marc Reyes