MANILA – Philippine Paralympic Committee president Mike Barredo was saddened by the Philippine Sports Commission’s (PSC) decision to halt further funding for the hosting of the Asean Para Games.
However, Barredo acknowledged that the PSC needed to cut some funding to help the government in containing the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
“While this is disheartening news for our local and Asean para-athletes, who have trained and sacrificed so much to represent their respective countries, their health, and safety as well as their coaches, members of their team, and families, remain our top priority,” Barredo said in a statement on Thursday.
He also said that “at this moment, sports must take a back seat to address a greater issue.”
On Wednesday, the PSC announced that it is withdrawing further financial support for the hosting of the APG, which has been postponed twice due to what has now become a pandemic, although it added that it will still honor initial funding.
“We heed the call of the national government to cut expenses as we reroute the majority of our resources to fighting the pandemic, but we also stand by our commitment to keep supporting members of the national team,” chairman Butch Ramirez said in a statement.
The latest development, along with the PSC’s other decision to cancel all the sports events that it is supposed to host until December, is a new sign that the APG could be totally canceled this year.”We will send a communication to the Asean Para Sports Federation (APSF) on the present situation so that its Board of Governors may decide on the fate of the APG,” Barredo added. (PNA)