Following the consecutive directives of the Department of Budget Management (DBM) on projects that will be discontinued (National Budget Circular 580) and the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases on prohibited activities even beyond the Enhanced Community Quarantine, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) instituted several belt-tightening measures to ensure that it can keep its commitment to continue to support the members of the national team.
Led by Chairman William Ramirez, the agency’s top officials held a virtual board meeting Wednesday and discussed ways and means they could meet outstanding commitments of the agency.
The PSC announced that all sports activities are canceled until December of this year, in compliance with the IATF directives.
Consequently, the board also decided to finally withdraw further financial support to the twice-postponed 10th ASEAN Paragames. The PSC shall, however, honor its previous commitments with the APG organizing committee to cover initial operations expenses.
“We heed the call of the national government to cut expenses as we reroute majority of our resources to fighting the pandemic, but we also stand by our commitment to keep supporting members of the national team,” explained Ramirez.
Ramirez announced that there is a status quo on allowance releases for national athletes and coaches, and thanked the PAGCOR for its steady remittances to the agency.
With the present lockdown however, PAGCOR’s income has been greatly affected, and shall probably impact its remittances to PSC subsequently. “We continue to study projections and proposals and the board is ready to take necessary actions should they be needed,” said the sports chief.
Commissioners Celia Kiram, Ramon Fernandez, Arnold Agustin and Charles Maxey joined Ramirez along with Executive Director Merly Ibay, Deputy Executive Directors Dennis Rivera and Atty. Guillermo Iroy, as well as Chief of Staff Marc Velasco.
