Sports activities is supposed to be a unifying element but in this fractured nation, it has, unfortunately, been utilized as a divide. For the Olympics, we have been briefly united but now, it is again to frequent programming.

Look at the outcry attained by Harry Roque’s statement that it was no coincidence that we acquired our most effective Olympic performance underneath Duterte, thinking of the billions he has invested in sports. Roque’s dismissive tongue is one of the elements that divide our country and his resourceful rationalization immediately after each and every late Monday talk clearly show is the things for memes, but in this case, he’s right.

I know at one particular level the allowance for Course A athletes (the gold medalists, grandmasters and entire world champions) was at P33,000 and the Course B athletes at P20,000. I’ve been hunting on the web when it was elevated. In a 2016 post, previous Philippine Sporting activities Fee (PSC) chairman Ritchie Garcia reported he was material with what they have attained due to the fact the Course A allowance was raised to P40,000 at the conclude of his phrase. In 2018, the existing chairman Butch Ramirez elevated that to P45,000 and the Class B athletes allowance was elevated to P40,000.

So of course, underneath this expression, athletes are lucky for the reason that they got a lot more in allowance than the previous admin. Just like athletes in the prior administration had been luckier than these in President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s period.

The major variable behind that is the PSC alone. Below the administration of President Noynoy Aquino, it was perceived that the 1 who really held sway in Philippine sports activities was the former POC chairman, Peping Cojuangco, who many credited to having Garcia appointed as PSC chairman. Proof of that was amongst the to start with fees of that PSC in 2010 was the reimbursement of POC’s expenditures in the 2008 Olympics. So those in the very good graces of the POC get to delight in perks from the PSC.

Less than Duterte, it’s the PSC chairman who has the closing say in exactly where the resources should go and the comfortable-spoken Davaoeno was in no way hesitant in the previous to channel cash instantly to athletes and amid those people who benefited was Hidilyn Diaz.

Story carries on

I bear in mind again in 2017, in the course of a pay a visit to to Cebu, Chairman Ramirez stated they were being supporting a staff for Diaz—a athletics psychologist, nutritionist and a coach—which was a initially.

Indeed, Diaz, at some level requested for support and that has been employed from the admin’s declare of “investing in the athletes.” I really do not know what happened in 2019, but I do don’t forget the PSC promptly stepped in.

Diaz will be asked frequently about that and although in an perfect entire world for some, athletes like her need to make their political stance identified, but I consider it would be superior to permit her be a image of Olympic achievement. A unifying figure.

Of training course, the administration will use her as a image but that’s to be predicted. I just hope the admin critics never consider it versus her or any of the other Olympians when they are utilized for things that they really do not coach for.

As for Harry Roque, I hope he learns from the athletes. These men compete for a region, not the government. They don the colors of the flag in their uniform, not just a person distinct color.