PSC to handle funds for ’19 Manila Games

Government money that will be allotted and spent for the country’s hosting of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games will not end up in the hands of the private sector like the Philippine Olympic Committee or the SEA Games organizing committee.

“We’re happy with that. That will be less problem for us,” said POC secretary-general Steve Hontiveros yesterday.

The POC official said the Philippine Sports Commission handing over a total of P167 million to the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee (Philsoc) for the 2005 Manila SEA Games created a lot of problems regarding liquidation.

Eleven years after the event, where the Philippines won the SEA Games overall title for the first time, the Commission on Audit is still breathing down the necks of Philsoc officials led by POC president Jose Cojuangco.

The COA recently ordered Philsoc to return P27 million in unliquidated cash advances or financial support from the PSC for the 2005 SEAG. Hontiveros said Philsoc is done liquidating. “We’ve submitted everything. We’ve forwarded all the original receipts and ORs (official receipts) but of the entire amount, others were disallowed)” said Hontiveros.

He said they will submit the same set of documents to the Senate committee on sports in January to prove that they have tried their best to liquidate.

“For instance, regarding the hotel accommodation of the thousands of athletes and officials from the participating countries, we already submitted the ORs. But we are still being asked for the names of those who occupied every room,” said Hontiveros. “Eleven years after the event. Ang hirap naman nun (that’s tough),” said the POC secretary-general. Still, he said Philsoc officials as well as POC officials are trying their best to gather everything and convince authorities that they have liquidated the amount and that the money was properly spent.

Chairman William Ramirez said the PSC will handle the government money when the country hosts the 2019 SEA Games to avoid the same problem.

“We learned our lessons from 2005. It’s government money so it will be the PSC that will handle it with the guidance of the Commission on Audit. The COA will be there every step of the way,” said the PSC chairman.

Hontiveros welcomed the suggestion of the PSC chairman.

“Personally, I’m happy with that. In fact, I think we should have done that in 2005. Let’s not allow government money to be in the hands of the private sector. Let the government or the PSC liquidate its’ own money,” said Hontiveros.

“Then it will not be the responsibility of Philsoc or the POC to liquidate government money. We can avoid this problem in liquidating,” said Hontiveros, adding that Philsoc will only have to liquidate and account for the money it will raise from the private sector.

“Of course the organizing committee will raise its own funds because there are things that the government cannot provide,” he said.

“But we welcome the suggestion. Let the PSC liquidate the government funds,” said Hontiveros.