Phisgoc denies claims of unpaid SEA Games personnel

THE Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) has refuted claims that a number of workers and volunteers who worked during the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games last year were not paid their promised salaries and allowances.

The issue came to light after a large number of volunteers, who were told by organizers that they would be given a per diem allowance, confronted Phisgoc staff after receiving gifts but no money this month.

One volunteer who served as a liaison for a women’s team from Malaysia said she and others in her group had been promised P1,000 to P2,000 per day for expenses, but they received only a token, notebook and uniforms. To confirm her story, she showed

The Manila Times an extensive conversation held in a Facebook group among volunteers and Phisgoc personnel, in which the volunteers were assured that the complaints would be “resolved,” and that paperwork was still being processed for some people.

Some volunteers who assisted with different teams and venues had been paid, the volunteer added.

A sports department head who had been employed in a paid position for officiating and record-keeping duties during the SEA Games complained that he was promised P50,000 for work from November 16 to December 15, but had been paid only P20,000 by Phisgoc.

“I did work every day during the games and two to three days before. My work was not only supervisory in nature,” he said.

“I was surprised that my salary was even lower to the salary of my staff. If that’s the case, I shouldn’t get that job. Instead, I [should have] just joined my staff since they received P25,000 compared to what I got (P20,000),” he added.

Both the volunteer and the competition official TheManilaTimes spoke to requested anonymity, citing their still-unresolved disputes with the SEA Games organizers.

Volunteers not entitled to pay

Phisgoc legal head and spokesman Jarie Osias, however, denied that volunteers were entitled to any remuneration.

“The 30th SEA Games Volunteers under Phisgoc’s Volunteers Program — who, in recognition of their valuable and voluntary assistance given to the organization of the Games, are given free meal allocations, uniforms and transportation assistance — are totally distinct and should not be mistaken for the Games Time Sports Competition Workforce ( temporary workforce) for the 30th SEA Games,” Osias said.

As for the claim of being underpaid by the competition official, Osias said, “We take any claim of alleged unpaid final service fees seriously. That is why we reach out to these persons personally to get details and check our records if indeed they have been engaged for the 30th SEA Games.”

Osias admitted that not all the workers have been paid.

“As of today (February 4), out of the 3,778 total workforce tapped for the 30th SEA Games, more than 3,500 have been cleared and paid their final service fees already. Less than 200 consultants remain pending for clearance and final payment mainly because they are performing final wrapping up and liquidation operations of Phisgoc.”

House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano served as chairman of Phisgoc in the run-up to and during the 30th SEA Games.