ALLIES. New Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Noli Eala discusses plans and programs during the special Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the PSC headquarters in Vito Cruz, Manila on Tuesday (Sept. 6, 2022). He said the PSC is allied with those considered as stakeholders for Philippine sports. (PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr.)
MANILA — Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Noli Eala reiterated on Tuesday that the PSC as the leading government sports body is allied with those considered as stakeholders for Philippine sports.
He said the PSC and the stakeholders are sharing the passion of further strengthening Philippine sports especially that some athletes scored big wins in the international circuit in recent years.
"The way I would like to think of the PSC's relationship with our stakeholders is that we are all allies and partners in bringing forward the agenda of Philippine sports," Eala said in a special physical session of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the PSC office.
One particular group he talked about is the PSC's partnership with the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).
The PSC has been helping the POC and its member national sports associations (NSA) in terms of funding the national athletes' training and their expenditures in their overseas events.
For Eala, the alliance goes beyond just giving them financial help.
"The PSC's relationship with the POC and the NSA's is a collaboration that goes beyond merely a funding relationship. It is a collaboration in building programs in making sure that programs are sustainable and efficient," he said. "Ang pananaw ko ay (My point is) to provide partnership among organizations that push forward the agenda of sports."
He, however, also said the PSC is not in any way intervening with the NSAs' decisions and even said their autonomy must be respected.
The statement came as some fans, for one, have called for the former Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director to step into his former organization's situation as its national team has had an up-and-down 2022 so far.
"Hindi naman ibig sabihin nyan ay nakikialam ang PSC sa autonomy ng mga (It doesn't mean that the PSC is disturbing the autonomy of the) national sports associations. That is also well provided and obviously must be respected," said Eala, also a former Philippine Basketball Association commissioner.
Despite that, he said the PSC still cares for the NSAs.
"Meron kaming responsibilidad. Merong responsibilidad ang POC at ang NSA's. Hindi ibig sabihin noon wala kaming pakialamanan (We have our responsibility. The POC and the NSAs have their own. It doesn't mean we don't care for each other). It just means that we take care of our spheres of influence as well as spheres of authority," he added. (PNA)
