PHILIPPINE Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Harry Angping commended the efforts of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) to fund 94 more athletes on Team Philippines to the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Laos.

“Very good,” Angping said in a text message when the BusinessMirror asked him to react on POC officials’ pronouncement that they are raising funds for the additional athletes on the national delegation.

“But personally, I think we should stick to the original number as agreed with Mario [Tanchangco],” said Angping.

The PSC said it will only fund 153 athletes for Laos as agreed upon by Angping and chief of mission Mario Tanchangco.

But the POC is submitting a list of 247 athletes to the Laos SEA Games Organizing Committee (Laosoc), claiming it has raised around 75 percent of the funds needed for the additional athletes.

“The PSC is primarily there to assist the POC and NSAs [national sports associations] in their participation in international competitions. But under the IOC [International Olympic Committee], they are saying na dapat ang NOC [national Olympic committee] should be financially independent as much as possible,” said POC spokesman Joey Romasanta. Reuben Terrado

The Philippines, along with Cambodia, Vietnam and even host Laos, have been given a deadline extension on November 9 to submit their official rosters for the Games.

RP to host regional friendship games

THE Philippines will host the 10th Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Friendship Games in 2010.

Angping will leave for South Sulawesi, Indonesia, Thursday to furnish BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games officials a progress report on the hosting.

Angping’s predecessor, William Ramirez, committed the country’s hosting of the games’ 2010 edition.

The PSC intends to hold the event in Mindanao to boost tourism as well as help ease the reputation of Mindanao as a war-torn area.

The BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games was initiated by the Philippines in 1996. It was revived in 2003 when the BIMP-EAGA Sports Council was created. Puerto Princesa City hosted the games in 2003.