"Can our athletes perform creditably in this much-anticipated sports event?"
Not many may be aware that the 1987 Constitution mandates the government to boost sports development. In fact, Section 19 of Article XIV expressly provides that "the State shall promote physical education and encourage sports programs, league competitions and amateur sports, including training for international competitions, to foster self-discipline, team work and excellence for the development of a healthy and alert citizenry."
To achieve this goal, the charter urges educational institutions to undertake regular sports activities throughout the country in cooperation with athletic clubs and other sectors.
All this is well and good, as one of the goals of sports development at the grassroots level is to train promising athletes who can bring glory to the nation in international competitions. Hence, we take an active part in various international events, such as the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games and of course, the Olympics.
From November to December this year, we will be the host of the 30th Southeast Asian Games. By now, therefore, preparations should already be at fever-pitch if we hope to successfully pull off this prestigious regional sports competition in home turf.
But can our athletes perform creditably in this much-anticipated sports event?
Not to disparage the efforts of well-meaning individuals who are serious in giving their all for our athletes to shine in the SEAG, we share the apprehension of those who see dark clouds in the horizon.
From where we sit, we are well aware that the development of Philippine sports has suffered one setback after another due to mismanagement by those tasked by government to supervise sports programs. How often have we read in the papers about officials unable to account for public funds that should have been spent for the training of athletes? One too many, it would appear, that not a few promising athletes would rather give up their chosen sport altogether.
To give Philippine sports a much-needed shot in the arm, President Rodrigo Duterte appointed former senator and foreign affairs secretary Alan Peter Cayetano to lead the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC). But the scuttlebutt in coffee shops is that Cayetano's chairmanship of PHISGOC is tenuous as certain quarters are said to be very eager to take over his post and manage the SEAG funds themselves.
Cayetano is optimistic that the spadework for the 30th SEAG is proceeding as scheduled, but he is concerned that the delay in the approval of the 2019 national budget could set back preparations. Moreover, Congress cut the SEAG budget from P7.5 billion to P5 billion. Thus, he is exerting all efforts to raise money for the Games from private sponsors while strictly monitoring the disbursement of SEAG budget, which is now handled by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
With Cayetano at the helm, we are confident that the SEA Games budget will be spent prudently as he has built a reputation as a graftbuster as the chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee in the 14th Congress.
But what's this we hear that there's an ongoing attempt by two officials of the Philippine Olympic Committee to oust Cayetano from PHISGOC?
One was recently suspended for 90 days by the Sandiganbayan in connection with the graft charges filed against him over the alleged anomalous acquisition of a thrift bank when he was chairman of a government agency concerned with a public utility. The Office of the Ombudsman also filed two criminal cases against him for misusing public funds to sponsor an eponymous sports tournament.
The other official was suspended for 90 days by the Sandiganbayan last year also in connection with graft charges filed against him. He was alleged to have entered into a government contract without the approval of the Board which he heads and without the benefit of public bidding.
If they manage to wrest control of the SEA Games, can we be certain that its funds would really be used for its intended purposes? You can make you own conclusion.
The country's hosting of this year’s SEA Games presents a unique opportunity to turn around the country’s declining performance in the regional sports competition, but only if we have people of unblemished integrity supervising preparations for the event. Sports development is too important to be left in the hands of people with less than noble intentions. And as our own Constitution serves to constantly remind us, sports development is an indispensable part of nation-building as it fosters self-discipline and teamwork.
It's been said that in sports, the greatest leaders are those who make the best decisions in the most crucial of situations. If we want to make our athletes to never give up and to fight to the finish, then they must be led and trained by people determined to overcome obstacles and to beat the odds, instead of feathering their own nests, as it were.
