PROBLEMS SOLVED

It took only a week for newly-appointed Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio to solve the problems hounding the Filipino athletes.

For the first time in nearly a decade, the government sports agency will be jacking up the allowance of all members of the national team, including the national coaches and members of the training pool.

Gregorio made the announcement during his first general assembly with the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) executives and national sports association (NSA) leaders on Tuesday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, saying that it’s about time for the athletes and coaches to receive a P5,000 bump in their respective allowances.

Filipino athletes are among the lowest-paid in Southeast Asia.

A Platinum athlete like Olympic medalists Carlos Yulo of gymnastics, and Aira Villegas and Nesthy Petecio of boxing receive an allowance that reaches P50,000 while those categorized at Priority A get P43,000, Priority B take home P36,000 and Priority C pocket P33,000 a month.

On the other hand, members of the training pool — or new athletes and those who have yet to crack the national roster — are given P10,200 a month, a sum that is barely enough to motivate them to work hard and bring glory to the country.

The last time national athletes got an increase in their allowances was during the term of William “Butch” Ramirez in 2016, something that contradicts the Republic Act 10699 that states that athletes’ allowances must be reviewed every five years.

Gregorio said it’s about time for them to repay the athletes for all their sacrifices just to give glory to the country.

“Today, I met with the PSC board. Across the board, starting August, P5,000 per athlete, P5,000 per coach,” Gregorio said during the gab graced by POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and sports commissioners Matthew “Fritz” Gaston, Walter Torres, Edward Hayco and Olivia “Bong” Coo with PSC acting executive director Guillermo Iroy.

“We realize that so many athletes still get P10,000 per month, that’s lower than the minimum wage.”

Gregorio, who already assumed practically all key positions in Philippine sports from being a POC secretary general to NSA leader, said the increase in allowance has nothing to do with politics.

“This is not a political play. This comes from the bottom of our hearts,” Gregorio said, adding that he is just carrying out the marching order of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., to “take care of the Filipino athletes.”

“We can appropriate the budget for all of you. Not just for Olympic athletes, but for all coaches and for all athletes because I cannot imagine a P10,000 monthly stipend.”

Aside from the allowance increase, Gregorio said the NSA Affairs will have a 24/7 helpdesk to make sure that there will be no delays in the requests of the national athletes.

“I have talked to the NSA Affairs, it will be open 24/7. From the clinic to the ambulance, the NSA Affairs will be 24/7,” Gregorio said, adding that there will be new food concessionaires in government sports facilities at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Philsports compound and Teacher’s Camp in Baguio City.

To make sure that the country’s hosting of major international events will be smooth, Gregorio is coordinating with the Department of Tourism (DoT) for logistical support.

He will also simplify the requirements in the procurement of training tracksuits to make sure that there will be no failed bidding.

“I am requesting a meeting with the Department of Tourism Secretary (Christina Frasco) because as far as I know, and I have been in tourism for a long time, when you bid for an international sporting event, it should be sponsored by DoT,” Gregorio said.