THE Senate Committee on Finance headed by Sen. Sonny Angara approved the proposed P5.216 billion allocation of the Philippine Sports Commission in the General Appropriations Act for 2023 last Monday.
During the committee hearing presided over by sub-committee chair Sen. Bong Go, PSC Chairman Noli Eala explained the need for the budget in the face of the country’s major international sports commitments in 2023.
He aired his sentiments after the Department of Budget and Management set just P218.18 million under the National Expenditure program for the government sports agency, which was lower than the P761 million the PSC got for 2022 in the national budget.
Included in the proposed PSC budget is P3.5 billion for the construction of the Philippine Sports Training Center as required by Republic Act No. 11214 that was passed in 2019.
“Ang amin pong budget proposal, which includes the capital outlay of the Philippine Sports Training Center, includes international competitions, totals to P4.9 billion. The NEP that was endorsed by the DBM is at P218 million,” Eala told the committee.
“In terms of the 2023 Tier 2 projects summary, ito po ‘yung aming ni-request, hindi po ito na-endorse ng DBM. This includes the preparation, the training and participation in major international competitions,” he added.
Among the coming meets are the 32nd Cambodia Southeast Asian Games, Asean Para Games, Asian Indoor Martial Arts Games, Huangzhou Asian Games, World Combat Games, ANOC World Beach Games, and the preparation, training, and participation for the Asian Beach Games.
It should also be noted that 2023 is an Olympic qualifying year for all of sports included in the calendar of disciplines in the 2024 Paris Summer Games.
Go, also the chairman of the Senate sports committee, noted the “meager” allotment set aside in the national budget for the PSC.
“Our national sports program is important and yet only about .01 percent is being received by the PSC,” said Go.
