Senator Manny Pacquiao yesterday bared his plan to file a bill that will clearly identify the roles of the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee when it comes the programs of the National Sports Associations.
Pacquiao’s statement came after he headed a Senate hearing where PSC and POC officials, along with various resource persons. attended the four-hour session marred by groups airing their grievances against POC president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco.
“Itong bill na ipa-file natin, ito ang mag-aayos sa lahat ng problem,” Pacquiao told newsman after the hearing regarding the POC’s unliquidated funds of about P16 million since 2010.
“Yung POC masyadong nakiki-alam sa pag-organize ng trabaho na dapat sa PSC, medyo madaming trabaho na overlapping. Ito ang iko-correct natin at ibabalik natin sa tama ang proseso,” he added.
He said that his proposed bill would allow NSAs to secure funds through the PSC with no worry that the POC would try and block such move, problems that some NSAs and other groups expressed during the hearing.
The hearing also paved the way for NSAs and other groups that had past run-ins with Cojuangco to rip the long-time POC head over his meddling in their respective affairs.
Among them was Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) executive eirector Ed Picson, who expressed his dismay over Cojuangco’s lack of support to the national boxing team’s trip to the United States earlier this year.
It would be recalled that the ABAP went ahead with the trip that had stops in the California and Las Vegas despite Cojuangco’s lukewarm response and the subsequent decision of the PSC of then-chairman Richie Garcia not to sponsor the overseas training.
Issues between the Philippine Bowling Congress and the newly-formed Philippine Bowling Federation also surfaced with the old group contesting the sudden decision of the POC to recognize the new body headed by Paeng Nepumuceno and Bong Coo as the NSA for bowling.
Also taking shots at the POC was former Senator Nikki Coseteng, who took to task Cojuangco for barring the Philippine Swimming League from securing PSC support and the barring of UAAP athletes from joining the World University Games under the FESSAP banner.
These issues allowed for the session to take longer than expected, veering away from the all-important concerns that has ailed local sports for years.