RP team’s Asian Youth Games trip to push through

MANILA, Philippines – The country’s planned Asian Youth Games trip will finally push through. A Thursday meeting between the participating National Sports Associations (NSAs) and Chief of Mission Senior Superintendent Cesar Hawthorne Binag saved the Philippines’ participation in the inaugural June 29 to July 7, 45-nation tournament in Singapore. The meeting produced good results after Binag explained to the body that the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is not in any way reducing the RP delegation. Binag said the initial number of the delegation was 70 but that was later reduced to 62 after some athletes have yet to secure their passports. “It was not reduced by the PSC but it was the NSAs themselves who asked that some of their athletes be removed because of passport problems. Our participation to the Asian Youth Games is a go," said Binag. The PSC-funded delegation is composed of 85 athletes, 15 coaches and eight team managers of the participating NSAs. Binag said the he is currently appealing to PSC chairman Harry Angping to include in the budget the eight Chief of Mission staff which was earlier disapproved. The COM staff is made up of Binag, deputy COM Jose Mari Martinez of football, and three medical and administrative perssonel. “We are very thankful to PSC chairman Angping’s support. Though we have yet to determine the final number of the team in terms of funding, the important thing is the PSC chairman has pledged to support our athletes and the coaches in this event without condition," added Binag. The Philippines will compete in football, beach volleyball, basketball, swimming, diving, table tennis, bowling and shooting. Football will be the first team to leave on June 15 since competition open two days before the opening while the bulk of the country’s delegation departs either on June 25 or 26. The ongoing feud between Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Jose Cojuangco Jr. and POC chairman Angping nearly cancelled the country’s participation to the Asian Youth Games. Cojuangco said he can’t allow Angping to dictate to the POC the qualified athletes who should go to the event. The AYG is being used by Singapore as a tune-up for the bigger World Youth Olympics in 2010. – GMANews.TV