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SENATOR Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Wednesday lauded Philippine
Sports Commission (PSC) and national sports association (NSA)
officials for coming up with a rationalized budget plan for the
country’s participation in the 2012 London Olympics.
Escudero, however, said the PSC and its partners
in the various NSAs and the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC)
should go all out in supporting the 14 athletes, including two wild
card entries, who have made the cut to the Beijing Olympics.
“We should not lose hope and rally with the
nation for our entries in Beijing,” said Escudero. “But we also
have to cope with the realities of the present situtaion: We have a
very limited budget available for the athletes; we lack enough funds
for further trainings; and of course, the scientific and
technological advancements by athletes in developed countries will
be hard to chase at this moment.”
“The PSC and the NSAs deserve to be commended
for coming up with a new fund scheme that would rationalize
government spending for sports. Of course, our dream is for a
country having a strong sports program. But while there is little
available, this move suits our advocacy for the athletes and
Philippine pride.”
Due to limited resources, the PSC decided to
only support the training and international exposures of the best
and brightest athletes who are medalists in the two previous
Southeast Asian, Asian and Olympic games.
Under the new scheme, athletes will get P15,000
a month aside from other benefits like improved facilities, diet and
housing.
The NSAs, meanwhile, will be allowed to assemble
their national junior squads of under-16 in anticipation for the
2010 Singapore Youth Olympics and the 2012 London Summer Games.
“The same program is successful in other
countries, we don’t see any reason why it should fail here in the
Philippines,” Escudero said.
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