Govt gave lone PHL Sochi bet Michael Martinez what he asked for - PSC

(Updated Feb. 13 - 10:17am) The Philippine Sports Commission gave Filipino figure skater Michael Martinez $7,200 - the amount asked for by his National Sports Association (NSA) - the Philippine Skating Union (PSU).

"The PSC approved a financial assistance [sic] to the POC [Philippine Olympic Committee] amounting to US $7,200 for the participation of Mr. Martinez in Sochi, Russia," Atty. Guillermo Iroy, Executive Director of the PSC disclosed to GMA News Online. "POC has the jurisdiction for his participation in the Winter Olympic Games which the latter, endorsed his entry."

Athletes, through their NSAs, ask for financial support from the government through the Philippine Olympic Committee. Yearly, NSAs are expected to send their annual budget to the PSC.

"While we have required the Philippine Skating Union to submit their yearly budget since 2010, the association, up to the present, did not submit their expected expenses," added Iroy.

The PSC also added that Martinez is sufficiently provided for by its "adopt an athlete" program, through his "godfather" Hans Sy, SM Prime President.

[Related: Martinez, first Olympic figure skater from Southeast Asia, learned at a mall]

SM Skating operates three rinks, including the one at SM Southmall, where Martinez learned how to skate.

"The financial assistance requested by the POC was the only amount asked from the PSC," Iroy said. "Mr. Martinez has a godfather, Mr. Hans Sy of the SM Group of Companies, who is also the Chairman of the Philippine Skating Union, the National Sports Association of Skating in the Philippines.

This is one of the projects of PSC; ‘Adopt an athlete’ system thru a godfather program for our national athletes just like basketball and badminton, among others. SM has been taking care of the association’s expenses being its patron."

This statement by the PSC was confirmed by PSU's Noel Resultay.

"Ang request ay naisumbmit sa POC nung October pa," said Resultay. "I was informed na na approve. Galing sa PSC."

In addition to the above amount of money, Mr. Sy provided Michael with Php 1.5 million “to defray cost of his training locally and abroad,” said Raymund Retumban, Division Manager of SM Ice Skating Rinks. The PSU “also solicited Php 500,000 from individuals which was also given to him [Martinez] last November 2013."

[Related: POC, private sector helped finance Martinez's Olympic dream]

Martinez also got funding assistance from the International Olympic Committee, which was coursed to him through the Philippine Olympic Committee. 

Proper protocol

For his part, Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richie Garcia admitted that Martinez and his mother had approached the PSC to request for financial support.

However, the camp of Martinez did not follow protocol, as they should have first requested support from the PSU, which would then ask the POC to solicit the funds, with the PSC as a possible source, Garcia said in a phone-patch interview with Arnold Clavio on the GMA News program Unang Hirit.

"Ang nanay ni Michael, nakausap ko matagal na, humihingi ng tulong sa PSC. Ang advise ko sa kanya dati, mabuti siguro kung lapitan ang national sports association nila [the PSU] kasi sila ang puwedeng humingi ng financial assistance sa PSC [through the POC],” he said.

"Wala naman kaming natanggap na sulat since that time. The only time na nakakuha kami ng sulat, about noong Disyembre, was from the Philippine Olympic Committee na kung pwedeng makatulong ang PSC in the amount of $7200, which is inapproved naman namin kaagad 'yon," Garcia added, referring to the aforementioned funds.

While noting that Martinez has also received funds from different sponsors, including the SM Group of Companies, Garcia said this process is to ensure that there will be no duplication in the release of funds.

"Medyo magkakaroon ng problema kung 3-4 tao nagbibigay tapos bibigyan mo pa din. That’s why ang proseso nandiyan para 'di magduplicate ang tulong na binibigay mo sa isang atleta," he said. - AMD, GMA News