(Tinanggap ng Phisgoc sa SEAG hosting) P1.4-B, ‘DI P6-B

NILINAW kahapon ng Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) na mula sa P6 billion government funding para sa Southeast Asian Games na hinost ng bansa noong nakaraang taon ay P1.481 billion lamang ang tinanggap nito bilang financial support mula sa Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

“We clarify that out of the total P6 billion Philippine government budget for the 30th SEA Games under GAA2019, the PSC has only provided the amount of P1.481B as financial support to the Organizing Committee,” wika ni Phisgoc President and COO Ramon Suzara sa isang liham kay POC Secretary General Atty. Edwin Gastanes.

“The PSC has only completed remitting this amount to Phisgoc on September 4, 2020, from which we settled the lawful and valid obligations incurred for the hosting of the 30th SEA Games covered by said financial support,” paliwanag ni Suzara.

“The remaining P4.52B GAA2019 budget for the 30th SEA Games was remitted to the DBM [Department of Budget Management] Procurement Service, and a certain amount also to the POC, or used directly by PSC for the equipment and services used for the 30th SEA Games.”

Ginawa ni Suzara ang paglilinaw makaraang sabihin nina POC board member Jesus Clint Aranas at athletics chief Dr. Philip Ella Juico sa media ang plano nilang pagsasampa ng kaso laban sa ilang opisyal ng POC, kabilang si president at Rep. Abraham Tolentino, dahil sa pagkabigo ng organizing committee na magkaloob ng financial statement sa SEA Games expenses.

Ang Filipinas ay nagsilbing  host ng SEA Games sa ika-4 na pagkakataon, matapos noong 1981, 1991 at 2005, noong November 30 hanggang December 11, 2019, sa apat na in major venues—Clark, Subic, Metro Manila at Southern Luzon.

“Since October 1, we read about the request of Messrs. Juico and Aranas in the news quoting both of them without even waiting for the POC leadership to officially act on their motion,” ani Suzara. “Please tell them that we would appreciate receiving POC’s letter first, rather than hearing about their stunt in the media intended to undermine Phisgoc.”

Dagdag pa ni Suzara: “Kindly remind them that the POC and PSC are integral parts of Phisgoc, and their actions unnecessarily cast aspersions on the integrity of all these institutions.”

Ayon sa Phisgoc president, ang pahayag nina Juico at Aranas ay  “premature and appear to have been done in bad faith being immediately publicized in media to the prejudice of the Organizing Committee.”

“At any rate, rest assured that Phisgoc has already substantially liquidated said financial support received from PSC. To date, we are nearing completion of our submitted liquidation reports to PSC covering said financial support received by the Organizing Committee,” sabi ni Suzara.

“Upon full submission of our liquidation reports to PSC, our external auditors shall be able to finally conclude PHISGOC’s audited financial statement covering all funds received and used for the 30th SEA Games,” dagdag pa niya. “We shall finish our relevant financial and operational reports in the coming weeks, and submit the same to the PSC copy furnished POC in due course.”