THE Philippine Sports Commission has approved the P46.230 million request of the Philippine Olympic Committee that will cover the country’s participation in the Tokyo Olympics in July.
The amount was approved yesterday by the PSC board, with PSC Chairman Butch Ramirez saying the move is a reiteration of the agency’s commitment to support the POC’s efforts to bring the best contingent possible to Tokyo.
The amount will cover the airfare, hotel and accommodation and allowances of athletes and officials as well as COVID-19 testing before their departure, hotel quarantine expenses and insurance for COVID treatment, travel and repatriation of the entire Philippine delegation.
The POC proposal does not include the costs for other items such as flags, flaglets and pins, luggage, and parade uniforms that would be needed should there be an opening and closing parade.
The P46.230 million assistance is subject to adjustments based on the actual participation of Filipino athletes, coaches and officials in Tokyo and on accounting and auditing rules.
So far, nine Filipino athletes have officially qualified for the Olympics – pole vaulter EJ Obiena, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, gymnast Carlos Yulo and boxers Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam, Irish Magno and Eumir Marcial, taekwondo jin Kurt Barbosa and rower Cris Nievarez.
Newly-crowned US Open women’s golf champion Yuka Saso and fellow golfers Bianca Pagdanganan and Juvic Pagunsan are also expected to make the cut and join Team Philippines in the July 23-Aug. 8 Summer Games, along with skateboarder Margielyn Didal.
All of them are bidding to end the country’s long medal drought in the Olympics.(Malaya)
