POC okays 247 athletes, 132 officials to SEA Games
11/01/2009 | 03:26 PM
The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) has approved a delegation composed of 247 athletes in 19 sports and 132 officials to the 2009 Southeast Asian Games in Laos this December.
The contingent is bigger than the 153-athlete, 47-official crew that the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has pledged to support. However, POC president Jose “Peping" Cojuangco, Jr. said the Olympic body is willing to cover the costs for the extra 94 athletes and 85 officials in the roster.
“There is a reason behind sending them," said Cojuangco said, explaining that all the athletes have passed POC qualifying standards for the Laos-bound bets—the gold and silver medalist in the previous SEA Games and athletes who have a potential to win medals.
The government’s sports arm, the PSC, has earlier said it would only bankroll the stint of 153 athletes to the Dec. 9-18 Games. As such, the POC would have to pool together P5.64 million for the additional members of Team Philippines.
“The needed funding is not yet in my hands, but all I can say is that it’s there for picking, “the 74-year-old POC top honcho said.
“And for that, I would like to thank deeply our friends from the private and corporate sectors, who like us in the POC, feel that we owe it to our athletes that they should go and compete for flag and country," he added.
The POC also gave an assurance that 247-athlete contingent plus 132 officials would no longer be increased.
“There might be reduction but no addition," said Go Teng Kok, who is also the special assistant to the POC president.
Cojuangco also stressed that the official uniform to be used would be the one provided by 361, the official outfitter approved by the POC. The uniform would carry the country’s colors of red, white and blue.
The PSC has ordered another set of uniforms colored yellow and white, which Cojuangco said is the not the official color of the Philippines.
“Like the composition of the national delegation, it is POC that decides the official uniform of the national delegation," Cojuangco stressed. - GMANews.TV
The contingent is bigger than the 153-athlete, 47-official crew that the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has pledged to support. However, POC president Jose “Peping" Cojuangco, Jr. said the Olympic body is willing to cover the costs for the extra 94 athletes and 85 officials in the roster.
Cojuangco
The government’s sports arm, the PSC, has earlier said it would only bankroll the stint of 153 athletes to the Dec. 9-18 Games. As such, the POC would have to pool together P5.64 million for the additional members of Team Philippines.
“The needed funding is not yet in my hands, but all I can say is that it’s there for picking, “the 74-year-old POC top honcho said.
“And for that, I would like to thank deeply our friends from the private and corporate sectors, who like us in the POC, feel that we owe it to our athletes that they should go and compete for flag and country," he added.
The POC also gave an assurance that 247-athlete contingent plus 132 officials would no longer be increased.
“There might be reduction but no addition," said Go Teng Kok, who is also the special assistant to the POC president.
Cojuangco also stressed that the official uniform to be used would be the one provided by 361, the official outfitter approved by the POC. The uniform would carry the country’s colors of red, white and blue.
The PSC has ordered another set of uniforms colored yellow and white, which Cojuangco said is the not the official color of the Philippines.
“Like the composition of the national delegation, it is POC that decides the official uniform of the national delegation," Cojuangco stressed. - GMANews.TV
