THE Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has earmarked P100 million for the country’s participation in the 29th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Kuala Lumpur in August.
PSC Executive Director Carlo Abarquez said the agency has guaranteed the availability of the funds during a press conference conducted by members of the SEA Games Task Force at the PSC offices in Manila on Tuesday.
“The funds are ready and available for the entire team. The PSC is throwing its full support because we believe the athletes have the passion to compete and win,” Abarquez said.
The budget will go to the acquisition of equipment and competition and parade uniforms as well as for the airfare and accommodation of the athletes.
But the Task Force has called on national sports associations (NSAs) which have yet to submit their official rosters for the Games.
Only billiards, shooting, gymnastics, triathlon and muay thai have submitted their teams. The task force set a deadline tomorrow for NSAs to submit their rosters. Malaysian organizers, on the other hand, has set a June 15 deadline for the submission of entries by names by the member countries.
As of Tuesday, the Task Force looked at a delegation of 633 athletes and coaches competing in 37 sports on the Kuala Lumpur program. Chief of Mission Cynthia Carrion said the target is to finish in fourth-or fifth. The country wound up sixth in Singapore in 2015 with 29 gold, 36 silver and 66 bronze medals.