After pushing for the passage of the law that raised the cash incentives for winning national athletes, Senator Sonny Angara is now working on raising the allowances of athletes and improving sports facilities in the country.
“Matapos nating palakihin ang insentibo ng mga nananalong atleta, dapat ay siguruhin din natin na may sapat na allowance ang lahat ng national athletes. We should provide them with enough support and assistance to help them develop their potential and empower them to win,” said Angara, sponsor of Republic Act 10699 that raised the incentives and benefits of winning athletes and coaches.
The Senate Finance Committee vice chairman made the call after hearing the clamor of Asian Games medalists who attended the budget hearing of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) recently.
The seasoned legislator asked the medalists how the state of Philippine sports can be improved and how government can better help athletes. A number of the medalists lamented their meager allowances.
Currently, of the 887 national athletes, more than half or 456 of them belong to the Training Pool where they receive P10,200 in monthly allowance.
There are only eight Platinum athletes in the country today, including weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, who are getting P45,000 monthly allowance.
“Kasama na sa allowance na ito ang para sa pagkain at tirahan nila, panggastos sa school, at pambili ng mga gamit nila sa sports. Marami rin sa kanila, ipinadadala sa kani-kanilang pamilya ang nakukuha nilang allowance,” said the veteran lawmaker, who is looking into augmenting PSC’s budget to fund an increase of P5,000 in the allowances of all athletes.
Meanwhile, Asian Games gold medallist Margielyn Didal pointed out the lack of training centers in the country. Bronze medalist Junna Tsukii also mentioned during the hearing that the PhilSports Complex is already “very dirty.”
The senator has called on the PSC to fast-track the P1billion rehabilitation of sports facilities that are already old and rundown especially the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex and the Philsports Complex.
“While we work on the passage of the bill that will kick-start the construction of a state-of-the-art Philippine Amateur Sports Training Center, we urge our sports authorities to speed up the development and rehabilitation of our sports facilities,” said Angara, principal author and sponsor of Senate Bill 1716, which is now pending on second reading.
“While we work on the passage of the bill that will kick-start the construction of a state-of-the-art Philippine Amateur Sports Training Center, we urge our sports authorities to speed up the development and rehabilitation of our sports facilities.”
He said that by creating and establishing the Philippine Amateur Sports Training Center, the country’s 800 national athletes and 300 coaches will have a new and much-needed home and venue for elite training that is at par with international standards.
“By creating and establishing the Philippine Amateur Sports Training Center, the country’s 800 national athletes and 300 coaches will have a new decent and a much-needed home and venue for elite training that is at par with international standards.”
