Tuesday, April 17, 2007 PSC looks for foreign aid By Marian C. Baring Sun.Star Staff Reporter
IN its effort to further solidify its grassroots program and enforce its other sports programs, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is seeking grants from organizations abroad.
“The PSC is applying for a grant to get the necessary funds for strengthening our grassroots program,” said PSC executive assistant Joseph Encabo.
Next month, the PSC will hold the National Assembly Program for Sports, a consultative forum, which will be held in four different venues: Northern and Southern Luzon, Cebu for the Visayas and Lanao or Davao for Mindanao.
All local government units and sports organizations are enjoined to take part in the forum.
A consultative assembly is only one of the requirements that the PSC needs to complete before it can qualify to apply for a grant.
“It is the last thing that we need to accomplish since we’ve met the other requisites already,” said Encabo.
Other than the forum, PSC needs to present to the granting body the implementing rules and guidelines of the PSC, the presentation of the projects and focus programs and its concrete plans, including who the beneficiaries will be.
Encabo said that once PSC will be granted the aid, it would mean an additional budget for the sports programs of the commission that have been pending because of budgetary constraints caused by too much red tape.
As of the moment, the PSC gets its annual allocation from the Department of Budget and Management, subject to yearly changes depending on the mood of Congress, and from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
“By then, we will be able to help not only the elite athletes but also enforce our sports programs in the grassroots level,” Encabo added.
He also said the PSC wants to play a major part in national sporting events like the Palarong Pambansa.
Once all requirements are completed, the PSC will submit this to National Economic Development Authority, which in turn will select which country and organization’s grants they will apply for.
The Cebu leg of the consultative forum will be on May 7-8 at the Cebu City Sports Center, where sports experts in all fields will be in charge.
