PSC earmarks P400M for country's sports program

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has earmarked P400 million to fund the country’s various athletic and grassroots programs next year. Part of the money, which will be divided among the different National Sports Associations (NSAs), will come from the General Appropriations Act, with the PSC given a budget of P168 million for its operating expenses. Another P30 million was approved by Congress and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to help the national athletes’ preparation for the 2011 Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia, and the staging of the Philippine National Games and the Batang Pinoy. "Next year, NSAs will have two national opens to work with. We will also be holding the Batang Pinoy and these programs aim to discover young talents to beef up the current national pool," said PSC chairman Ricardo Garcia. The remaining P202 million will come from the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF), from the Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corporation’s (PAGCOR) monthly remittances. The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) is also mulling if it can pump in additional money to the NSDF next year from revenues generated from the lottery draw. All NSAs are now being asked by the PSC to submit their plans and programs, with the endorsement from the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), to gain the support from the government sports body. Aside from the SEA Games, the national athletes will also be competing in various Olympic qualifying tournaments next year in the hope of earning slots for the 2012 London Summer Games. The country is fresh from competing in the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou ,China where the 188-member national delegation won three gold, four silver and nine bronze medals. – JVP/KY, GMANews.TV