WHAT’S this thing we have with world class athletes? Seems to me that our national federations always have issues with funding matters and monetary disputes with the best and the brightest. That’s why Wesley So chose to leave and now plays under the Stars and Stripes. That’s why no one blames Yuka Saso for choosing Japanese citizenship to play under the Rising Sun. Even an Olympic boxing silver medalist had issues with the goodies promised him after his medal winning ways – and though this wasn’t really a national federation issue maybe the boxing federation officials should have taken it upon themselves to make sure the pledges were delivered.
Then there was Hidlyn Diaz who for a while had to beg for support from the public.
And now we have the issue with the pole vaulter, EJ Obiena, who the track and field federation accuses of mishandling funds and not paying his coach.
I think his Russian coach has said he has been paid. I may be wrong but I do not think EJ would have been able to compete post-Olympics with his coach by his side if the latter was being asked to serve “pro bono.” And I am also almost “inspired” to quip that if mismanaging training funds by an athlete brings him so much glory (and the country as well), then better that the athlete himself manages his own funds than have sports officials do it for him.
Don’t you agree?
How many times in the past have we been witness to funding disputes between federations and athletes, with the latter usually saying they hardly see a centavo of the monies supposedly meant for their training, and for board and lodging? Also, how many times have we seen Philippine delegations to sporting events numbering in the hundreds – but with more government officials than athletes in attendance?
And now that we clearly have world class athletes in Diaz and Obiena and Carlos Yulo and our boxers, we still seem to be affected by the same issue (at least some federations appear to be) of fund disputes that range from lack of support to fund misuse.
Maybe it might be far better to leave funding totally to the private sector and keep taxpayers’ money out of it? You can bet that company corporate governance rules will result in far more efficient and effective use of sports funding.
Speaking of public funding, the term of Atty. Danilo L. Concepcion (or PDLC as he is called in the UP Community) has about two years to go, and yet one of his pet projects still hasn’t seen the light of day – the PGH hospital in Diliman.
I’ve written about this some time back, how this was a dinner table topic of discussion between my parents (faculty members of the UP Colleges of Medicine and Nursing) as early as the 1970s when (if I got my UP history right) the UP President was OD Corpuz and the PGH director was Dr. Gabriel G. Carreon. My parents were excited about the idea of a teaching hospital in Diliman while PGH in Manila was to be converted into a full-service facility. But nothing happened. I think Dr. Carreon has passed away. So has Dr. Corpuz. My mom died almost 30 years ago, and my dad five years ago.
That’s why when PDLC told me about his plans I was overjoyed. A dream of my parents was going to come through in my lifetime. Yes?
No one wants to tell me what the status is but is it true that the papers are stuck on the table of the Secretary of Finance?
Imagine if work on the hospital had started in 2016. When the pandemic hit us last year, it most probably would have been ready. Whether it would have had 100 beds or 200 or even 1,000 – do we ever suffer from a surplus of beds in quality hospitals?
Whether it is sports funding or hospital funding I don’t think money is the problem. The cause is good, a necessity even. It is about time that we put less focus on what we have to spend and more on why we have to spend and spend now!
Personal: Happy birthday Tatay Danilo Hipolito Jr.; Mommy Goren Bautista; Rey Publico; Zonito Torrevillas; Marissa Sanchez Giorla; Irene Garcia; Lance Sarmiento; Matthew Crowley; Rey Publico; tita Lyn Aguila; Kris-Anne Bautista; JM Martin happy happy birthday kay Jeffrey Mio; happy birthday din at sa kaibigan na si Raymond Lauchengo happy happy birthday kay Andrei Librojo at kay Desiree Cleto-Tan happy happy birthday din; belated happy birthday naman kay Matthew Velasquez at kay Miko Mark Vargas; belated happy birthday din kay Lance Sarmiento at kay Malou Carlos at kay Maita Martinez belated happy birthday; happy birthday Romel and Dolmar Cruz from friend Nick happy happy birthday sa inyo! at happy birthday kina Cyrel Jean Battler; Jerome Encabo; John Loui; Jyrose Baclaso; Liezel Dacuyan; Lucy Cagadas Montanes; Ghenggheng Lanutan Balacio; Kagawad Enrique Mission ng Barangay Santa Lucia, Lungsod ng Pasig; Mary Rose Escarez Panganiban; Ma Leane Erive; Rosyl Fajel - Maestro; Adam Garcia from Lean Austin Reyes; Papa Nestor Rivera Emong father of Espelimbergo Dumagtoy Rhey; Flor Zamora Carpio; Tio Roy Manrique Merlin; baliw Michael Lique; Precious Mikaela Almarez of San Bartolome, Novaliches, Quezon City; belated happy birthday Charlotte Pacala; daddy Roman Bautista; ka zuck larson; ate Chona Estuye-Arguelles; Fernando Reyes; kuys IAn Vicencio ang pagbati mula kay Patricia Jasmin; nanay Rosie Santos mula kay Marr Christan Santos; Zonito Torrevillas; Marissa Sanchez Giorla; Irene Garcia; Lance Sarmiento; Matthew Crowley; Rey Publico; tita Lyn Aguila; Happy Wedding Anniversary and happy birthday gang Prince WengLhor; happy wedding anniversary Josephine Lavega Depuco and Paulino Depuco; belated happy birthday Ate Liza Que-Artificio ang pagbati mula kay Zaira Lagartos; belated happy birthday din kina Papa Saturnino Ramos at kay Cathara Pearl mula kay Ayma Libuma
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