Crown will be elusive

Your honor, amount is not a measurement of success

WILLIAM “Butch” Ramirez admits that a massive budget is not an assurance of winning the overall SEA Games title.

Having a massive warchest doesn’t guarantee an overall crown.

Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman William “Butch” Ramirez yesterday admitted that winning the overall title will not be a walk in the park for Team Philippines when it hosts the 30th Southeast Asian Games from 30 November to 11 December.

Speaking before the House committee on youth and sports development, the PSC chief said budget isn’t a measurement of athletic success as countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam are also all eager to come up with a victorious performance in the prestigious multi-sport conclave.

The last time the country hosted the biennial meet in 2005, local athletes emerged with 112 gold, 85 silver and 93 bronze medals to clinch the overall crown.

The government spent only P350 million while former First Gentleman Miguel Arroyo managed to raise P150 million from private sponsors.

This time, the government churned P6 billion to organize what the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) projected to be the “biggest, grandest SEA Games ever.”

“If P500 million during the 2005 SEA Games could make a result of an overall title, is it safe to say that we’re not going to fail in terms not only in hosting the most successful SEA Games in Manila with the new facilities, but more so is the overall championship already in the bag for us?” Valenzuela 2nd district Rep. Eric Martinez asked.

But Ramirez said having a massive budget doesn’t equate success.

“Your honor, amount is not a measurement of success.”

Ramirez said 50 percent of the P6 billion would go to Phisgoc, which it would spend for volunteers, ceremonies and programs while more than P1 billion will be used for the procurement of sports equipment.

“Are we already assured of the championship? No, because based on our research and information, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam are coming in very strong, especially in martial arts, track and field and swimming,” the PSC chief said, adding that they are trying to catch up by sending athletes abroad for training and exposure for the past five to six months.

Manila 1st District Rep. Manny Lopez rushed to Ramirez’s defense, saying that lawmakers shouldn’t be worried over the ranking.

“Being a brotherly competition, what usually happens in the SEA Games is that whoever is hosting usually emerges as overall champion,” said Lopez, a long-time boxing president who also served as chairman of the Philippine Olympic Committee.

“Let’s not mind the ranking. I believe we will perform well. I have no doubt that if we will not end up as No. 2, we will end up as No. 1.”

Lopez, whose father also served as PSC chairman, said funding has always been a problem since the country hosted the 1981, 1991 and 2005 editions of the Games.

“But now, funding is more than sufficient. Funding will not be a problem in the staging of the 2019 SEA Games,” Lopez said, adding that focus should be on how the massive budget should be utilized since it could be a source of corruption.

“What I’m worried about is that there are rumors that this P6 billion budget will be a source of corruption,” he said.

“But I believe in your (Ramirez) capacity and leadership ability. Don’t let the P6 billion budget fall into wrong hands. Speaker (Alan Peter Cayetano) placed a huge budget for the SEA Games to make sure that our country will not get embarrassed.”

The PSC is now in the process of procuring sports equipment with a little more than two months left before the opening ceremonies.