PSC chief calls for unity to avoid Laos debacle

MANILA, Philippines – With less than six months left before the 25th Southeast Asian Games (SEAG), Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Harry Angping is calling for unity and sobriety since the RP delegation is facing an impossible mission in Laos this December. “I don’t want to come back here and hear people with the same old alibis that bad officiating and so on, and so forth were the reasons why the Philippines suffered a debacle in Laos," said Angping. “I think that it is impossible for the Philippines to win the same number of gold medals that we won in Thailand," Angping added. “But it is not too late." Angping said that in order to avoid getting embarrassed in Laos, he is asking all National Sports Associations (NSAs) that will compete in Laos to meet with him. “I want to start a dialogue with the NSAs immediately. I’m offering myself, forget partisan politics and let us work together." Angping said that the PSC is ready to help the NSAs meet their targets in the Laos SEAG but he added that they must be open to cooperate with his agency. “Handa po ang PSC na makipag-usap." The Philippines will be competing in 25 sports events in Laos: aquatics, athletics, boxing, volleyball, archery, billiards, badminton, shooting, football, golf, table tennis, karatedo, muay thai, pencak silat, weightliftng, cycling, fin swimming, taekwondo, pentaque, lawn tennis, wushu, judo, wrestling, sepak takraw and shuttle cock. Among these events, it is only in medal-rich aquatics that the Philippines have a fighting chance of getting a good share in winning gold medals. “It is only in swimming na may malaki tayong pag-asa dahil dito lamang tumaas ang performance natin from 2005 to 2007," said Angping. Based on 2005 and 2007 SEAG results, Filipino swimmers had the most successful stint during the last two editions. Filipino swimmers won a combined total of 12 gold medals, eight silver and 13 bronze. The medal production of athletics and billiards, another source of medals for the RP athletes, dipped from 2005 to 2007. The RP tracksters posted a 9-11-9 finish when Manila hosted the 2005 SEAG but could only muster a 5-7-9 output in 2007. Billiards also failed to sustain its 2005 8-2-1 medal haul and only managed a 3-2-4 finish when the games returned to Thailand two years after. “I object to the game plan of just participating. We must compete," added Angping. “But with the current records of our athletes, I think we need to pray for a miracle that we can win more gold medals and at least give the Philippines something to celebrate in December." But Angping’s call for unity may fall on deaf ears as the NSAs have already made a stand not to deal directly with the PSC until Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Peping Cojuangco have given them the marching orders. “We are ready to talk with the PSC," said Laos SEAG chief of Mission Mario Tanchangco of Sepak Takraw recently. “But the talks must start from the top not from the bottom." – Perry Legaspi, GMANews.TV