Senator Pushes for Higher 2027 Budget for Philippine Sports Commission
Key Takeaways
- •Senator Christopher Lawrence T. Go said at a Senate hearing that the Philippine Sports Commission's proposed 2027 allocation is not enough to support national athletes, raising the issue while reviewing the country's performance at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
- •The House of Representatives has proposed P1.31 billion for the PSC in 2027, a reduction of P895.36 million, or 40.57%, from its 2026 budget.
- •Go pointed out that the PSC's share amounts to less than 0.001% of the national government's P7-trillion budget.
- •Alas Pilipinas men's volleyball captain Bryan B. Bagunas and libero Josh Ybañez said in Sept. 28 social media posts that inadequate allowances left players unable to buy food or afford transportation to training facilities.
- •Go backed greater government investment in sports and emphasized public-private partnerships, while the final 2027 PSC allocation to be settled by Congress will set the funding baseline for the national sports program.
MANILA — The Philippine Sports Commission's (PSC) proposed allocation for next year is not enough to support Filipino athletes whose victories bring great honor to the nation, Senator Christopher Lawrence T. Go said on Thursday.
Speaking at a Senate hearing called to review the country's performance at the 20th Asian Games, held this year in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, Mr. Go raised the minuscule funding assigned to the PSC under the annual spending plan.
"Out of the national government's P7-trillion budget, it doesn't even amount to 0.001%," he said.
The House of Representatives has earmarked P1.31 billion for the commission for 2027 — P895.36 million, or 40.57%, lower than its budget for 2026. The amount reflects the House's proposal, which now goes through Senate deliberations before Congress enacts a final 2027 appropriation.
The PSC, created in 1990 through Republic Act No. 6847, is the lead government agency for sports development in the Philippines and is responsible for funding national athletes, coaches, and training programs. That mandate makes the agency's annual allocation the measure of how much government support is available to the country's competitors in international competitions such as the Asian Games.
Mr. Go said the government must seriously examine the financial concerns raised by members of the 2026 Alas Pilipinas men's volleyball team, the country's national volleyball program. National athletes, he added, should not have to worry about where to get fare or need to borrow money.
In social media posts on Sept. 28, team captain Bryan B. Bagunas and libero Josh Ybañez said allowances given to them were inadequate, explaining that players were unable to buy food or afford transportation to training facilities.
While pushing for greater government investment in sports, the senator also emphasized the importance of public-private partnerships in improving athlete welfare and sports infrastructure. How the chambers of Congress settle the PSC's 2027 allocation will set the funding baseline for the national sports program in the coming year.
— Francessca S. Abalos, BusinessWorld
Source: BusinessWorld
