HANOI. – The Philippine Sports Commission is looking closely at the performance of national athletes in the 31st Southeast Asian Games to determine what sports will merit its continued support moving forward, according to national team chef de mission Ramon Fernandez.
“We are closely evaluating the performance of our national athletes in the Vietnam SEA Games to determine what sports will continue to deserve our continued support,” Fernandez said Tuesday at the halfway point of the regional games.
“Since the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the government sports agency has been coping with scarce resources, so it is only fitting that they are used wisely for the National Sports Associations and their respective athletes,” he added.
The PSC is largely dependent on the monthly remittances of the Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corp, which have been fluctuating since the pandemic struck the county in mid-March 2020.
“We are still under the pandemic so Pagcor remittances to the PSC have not reached the previous peak levels we used to have before this virus crisis,” Fernandez said.
“However, PSC Chairman Butch Ramirez and the rest of the PSC board (members) have made it a point that needs of the NSAs, and their athletes have been met, including international exposure, under the circumstances,” he added. “This is why we have to look closely and evaluate the performance of our national athletes here so the board can act, and budget accordingly based on our assessment.”
For the country’s participation in the regional games here, Fernandez said the PSC spent P232 million in supporting the 980-strong Philippine contingent, including 641 athletes and 210 coaches in 38 sports.
The budget covered airfare, uniforms, equipment, hotel, and billeting plus allowances for the national team, among others.
Fernandez also expressed guarded optimism that if the trend continues, the county will hit its goal of finishing third overall in the medal standings.
“We are halfway through the Games, and we are in the top three of the medal standings, thank God. We are well within our target of finishing at least third overall. We just have to maintain our performance until the end,” Fernandez said.
Filipino campaigners have put up a gallant stand, delivering their biggest haul so far last Monday with 10 gold medals.
Before action started Tuesday, they were in third spot with a tally of 30 golds, 34 silvers, and 50 bronzes, within striking distance of No. 2 Thailand (34-35-50), while host Vietnam continued to be out of reach at the top (83-50-55).
“We still have several sports where our athletes can win medals, and hopefully they can deliver,” said Fernandez, also a commissioner of the PSC who has been in the Vietnamese capital since May 1 to oversee the needs of the Philippine delegation.
Still in the medal hunt are the national standard-bearers in athletics, archery, boxing, basketball, bowling, billiards, weightlifting, starring Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Hidylin Diaz; karatedo, taekwondo, wrestling, canoe-kayak, shooting, sepak takraw, muay thai and lawn tennis.
