PSC to get P800M boost

The war chest of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is set to receive a massive financial jolt following the approval of a P800-million budget next year.

PSC chairman Richard Bachmann said this is just from the national budget as he expects the number to rise with the 33rd Southeast Asian Games happening in Thailand next year.

Bachmann said this will be their biggest funding from the government according to the Department of Bureau and Management (DBM).

“So far, it’s been record-breaking, close to P800 million for our NEP (National Expenditure Program). The insertions are not there yet, the PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation) is not there yet,” Bachmann said.

“There are still no inserts in our legislators and there are still no inserts in PSC. So according to DBM, this is actually history from PSC that we’re getting more funding.”

With the funding, the PSC will be allocating it to upgrade the facilities at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, particularly the Baseball Stadium and the boxing and pencak silat gyms.

The PSC will also be using the funds for next year’s events like the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Games, Batang Pinoy and the Philippine National Games.

Bachmann said the PSC is ready for next year based on how successful the staging of the Philippine National Para Games (PNPG) Batang Pinoy, and the BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games.

“The PSC is always ready. I really thank all our employees,” Bachmann said.

“Because if you look back just a few weeks ago, we had PNPG, we had Batang Pinoy, and then we had BIMP-EAGA altogether, maybe a few days apart. So again, I do thank my PSC staff and all the NSAs (National Sports Associations) who actually helped out PSC as well.”