By Azer Parrocha/Philippine News Agency
MANILA – The Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) Foundation Inc. will still remain as organizer of the 30th Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) this November.
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, new chairman of the Senate committee on sports, said while PHISGOC remains organizer, the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) will be in charge of the Games and funding, respectively.
“PHISGOC po ay sila ang organizing committee, pero po ang POC ang magpapatakbo ng laro at ang PSC ang magre-release ng funds (PHISGOC will remain organizing committee, but the POC will host the games, and the PSC will release the funds),” Go told reporters in an interview after the ‘call for unity’ for SEA Games in Malacañang on Wednesday.
Go said President Rodrigo Duterte himself ordered the PHISGOC, POC, and PSC to make sure that procurement would be free from corruption.
“Pinagbilinan ni Pangulong Duterte na maayos ang procurement, wala pong korapsyon (The President directed them to ensure a proper procurement, free from corruption),” Go said.
Go said corruption allegations were disproved by PHISGOC in a meeting with Cayetano and PSC chairman and PHISGOC co-vice chairperson William Ramirez on July 18.
“Ang sinabi ni Presidente nun, gobyerno ang hahawak ng pondo kasi, nakarating po kay Pangulo na may leadership problem, crisis sa POC (The President said he wanted government to manage the funds because it reached him that there has been a leadership problem),” Go said.
Go did not elaborate but former POC president Ricky Vargas resigned on June 18 to give “other sports leaders who have the time and inclination needed to lead the POC more effectively.”
“Sabi niya na siguraduhin niyo lang na gobyerno ang hahawak ng pondo, maayos ang procurement, walang masasayang (He said make sure that government will manage funds and ensure proper procurement so funds will not be wasted),” he added.
PHISGOC chief executive officer Ramon Suzara earlier said the PHP5-billion budget approved by Congress and the PHP1-billion augmentation fund approved by Duterte for SEA Games are all lodged with the PSC and Department of Budget Management (DBM).
Not in charge of funds
Last week, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Duterte said would no longer let the privately-formed PHISGOC organize the biennial sports meet.
However, Panelo on Wednesday clarified that there was never a decision to remove the PHISGOC and that Duterte was only talking about his disdain for corruption in private organizations.
“It’s (PHISGOC) still the organizing committee. They met today and actually that was a unity meeting so that every party will be doing its job to make the Southeast Asian games successful and it will be,” Panelo said in a media interview.
“Yung salita ni Presidente nun (That’s the words of the President then) in reference lang generally sa corruption in private organizations,” he added.
Panelo said in the meeting, they also agreed that there was no corruption on the part of the PHISGOC because they are not involved in the disbursement of funds.
“It’s the PSC and the DBM who are responsible for that. No way can it (PHISGOC) be involved,” Panelo said.
“In the first place, there was no corruption in the PHISGOC. Definitely, former Senator, now Congressman Alan (Peter Cayetano) was and never and I don’t think will ever be involved in any corruption,” he added.
PHISGOC was earlier accused of entering into questionable deals, including the alleged overpriced training uniforms with sports apparel company Asics.
On Tuesday (July 23), Suzara denied the allegations, saying Cayetano, who was recently elected House Speaker, won’t allow corruption to mar the country’s fourth hosting of the SEA Games.
Politics in sports
During the call of unity for the SEAG event held at the Heroes Hall in Malacañang, Cayetano apologized for “politicizing” the SEAG.
“Let me apologize, kung na-politicize ang Southeast Asian Games for one reason, that I’m a politician. But let’s also be truthful to each other, there’s so much politics in sports. I don’t blame any of you here for that because the politics is coming from the passion. You’re very competitive” Cayetano said.
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea also mentioned how “politics” disrupted the culture of sports in the country.
“Our love for sports has always promoted camaraderie more so in the Philippines where the culture of sports is boosted by our bayanihan culture. Unfortunately, sports became different when a culture of politics came into the picture,” Medialdea said.
Ramirez spoke about the need to move past the “political climate in sports” for the benefit of the athletes.
“As the chief of government’s sporting arm, I have heavily invested into ensuring that whatever the situation and political climate in sports, our athletes are shielded in given the support they need to focus on their goals of victory, though victory has many faces,” Ramirez said.
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