The Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) has to secure a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) from the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) before the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) can go full blast in supporting the country's hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

In an exclusive story by *Daily Tribune* last Tuesday, it broke that the POC has yet to issue a board resolution or a MoA formally appointing the Phisgoc as the main organizer of the prestigious biennial meet set this November.

The Commission on Audit (CoA) revealed the absence of the needed paper, saying there should be at least an official document authorizing Phisgoc to run the Games in the absence of an executive order (EO) from Malacañang.

An EO or a MoA was presented by the Phisgoc when the country hosted the Games in 2005.

A senior POC official confirmed that they have yet to formally appoint Phisgoc as the SEA Games organizer despite POC president Ricky Vargas, secretary general Patrick Gregorio, POC chairman Abraham Tolentino and triathlon executive Tom Carrasco occupying crucial positions in the organization.

The source said hosting the SEA Games is the sole responsibility of the POC executive council, an approval from the POC general assembly and an MoA between the Phisgoc and POC.

"If there's no MoA between the POC and Phisgoc, our SEA Games preparation would be in trouble because it (Phisgoc) is not standing on a solid legal ground. It's going to be very difficult to determine the accountability and liability if something happens."

A source said PSC chairman William "Butch" Ramirez is extremely careful in doling out support to Phisgoc unless it secures a board resolution from the POC executive council, an approval from the POC general assembly and an MoA between the Phisgoc and POC.

The insider said the PSC board of commissioners already approved more than P200 million worth of equipment for various national sports associations during its meeting Tuesday, but it's going to be very careful in disbursing money for Phisgoc's operational expenses.

Reports have it that Phisgoc executives' salaries range P300,000 to P350,000 a month. Phisgoc had asked the POC to advance a total of P7.2 million to cover their salaries and allowances for the month of January alone.

A POC source said Vargas gave the amount to the Phisgoc but his move is now being questioned by council members as he was not authorized by the board to do so.

"Chairman Ramirez is guided by the CoA. He will be very careful handling this matter," said the source, confirming *Tribune's* report about an internal memo sent by CoA to the PSC.

"They (Phisgoc) did their budget without consulting the PSC."

Ramirez and Vargas are expected to report to Malacañang any time to discuss pertinent SEA Games matters with Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

> *Hosting the SEA Games is the sole responsibility of the POC and a MoA, where all the duties and responsibilities of the two bodies are clearly defined, should be forged between the Olympic council and a third-party organizer such as Phisgoc.*

The national government spent a total of P350 million in the country's previous staging of the SEA Games in 2005. Ramirez was also the PSC boss at that time, but his role was limited to overseeing the training and preparation of the athletes as Chief of Mission.

The Philippines emerged victorious, but the Phisgoc left a trail of unliquidated expenses, prompting the CoA to seek the return of P27 million from Philgoc and POC executives. Court cases are still pending.

This time, the government allotted a total of P5 billion to make the hosting a success.