Trillanes scores PSC for failing to support PH team
in int'l sports competitions

Senator Antonio "Sonny" Trillanes IV has called on the Senate to scrutinize the budget of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) after it failed to provide support for the Philippine delegation to the ongoing Summer Universiade being held in Shenzhen, China.

Trillanes expressed alarm over the "repeated incidents of the PSC's lack of support to our athletes joining international competitions," citing the case of the Philippine Dragon Boat Team, which garnered five gold and two silver medals in the recently concluded World Racing Championships in Florida.

"The plight of our Philippine Dragon Boat Team is not an isolated case. Our delegates to this year's Summer Universiade did not receive any centavo from the Commission," the senator said, pointing out the need for the Senate to look into budget of the PSC.

"Thus, an investigation becomes necessary to scrutinize the budget of the Commission to avoid similar occurrence in the future," he said.

Trillanes is part of the country's official delegation to the 26th Summer Universiade being president of the Basketball Association of the Philippines. The Universiade, also known as the World University Games, is an international biennial sports event.

According to Trillanes, the Filipino student athletes joining this year's Universiade in Shenzhen "deserve our government's support and attention."

"It is very disappointing to see our delegates suffer from government neglect and lack of support. Just imagine how heartbreaking and demoralizing it is for our athletes to compete with minimal government support or worse, receiving nothing at all," Trillanes said.

Known as the second largest multi-sports event next to the Olympics, the Universiade was declared opened by no less than Chinese President Hu Jintao in a ceremony held on August 12 in Shenzhen. The games will run until August 23.

The Philippine delegation is headed by Trillanes and Federation of Sports Association of the Philippines president David Ong.

"It is our government's duty to support our athletes and there is no excuse for failing to do so. It is an honor to witness our athletes compete in Universiade despite their adversity. The Universiade is a large gathering of university athletes from 152 countries, and I can vouch that our 90 athletes from our country's different university sports organizations are giving their best shot as they compete in their nine sports events," Trillanes added.