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Friday, December 16, 2005
PSC to help organizers pay SEAG expenses
Not wanting to ruin the feat accomplished by the country during the recently concluded Southeast Asian Games, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has stepped in to help organizers pay for the expenses incurred in hosting the biennial meet.
The PSC, through its chairman William Ramirez, will raise the P95.7 million needed by Manila, Cebu and Bacolod to pay creditors that have made the SEA Games possible, said Cebu Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Cebu-SOC) chairman Jonathan Guardo.
Cebu-SOC needs P7 million more from the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee (Phil-SOC) to pay food caterers, transportation and hotels that accommodated foreign athletes and volunteers.
Ramirez told Guardo over the phone that they decided to step in because they do not want the issue to blow out of proportion and, in the process, undermine the success of the country’s hosting of the Games.
“(Ramirez) told me he doesn’t want the issue to blow out of proportion kay lagi successful ta sa hosting and then champion pa gyud ta,” Guardo told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday.
It will now be the PSC that will coordinate with Phil-SOC so the organizers for the satellite venues—Cebu and Bacolod—can start paying their bills by next week.
Cebu, Bacolod and Subic were the satellite venues of the SEA Games held last Nov. 25 to Dec. 5. Six events were spread in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Danao—karate, judo, sepak takraw, dancesport, pencak silat and mountain bike race.
Payment
Guardo said Ramirez assured him that as soon as they can raise the money, the PSC and Phil-SOC will immediately issue checks.
Guardo is currently in Manila to collect the P7 million from Phil-SOC.
Cebu City officials have also been lobbying for the immediate release of the money.
“But I told him to better take the matter seriously because by next week I’m more than positive that the hotels will sue us,” he added.
As for the money intended to pay for these hotels, Guardo, also Cebu City Sports Commission chairman, said he’s wondering where it is now.
“There was definitely a budget for the billeting of the athletes because they were made to pay $40 each to Phil-SOC for their accommodations. All Philsoc had to do was turn over the money to the hotels. The question now is where the money went,” he said.
Of the promised P10-million budget, only P3 million was advanced to Cebu-SOC for expenses during the SEA Games, including the opening ceremony last Nov. 25 at the Cebu City Sports Center.
Guardo said he even had to use his own money so things will go on as scheduled. (JSV)
(December 16, 2005 issue)
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