SENDING a smaller delegation to the 2013 Southeast Asian Games does not mean less expenses for the country, according to Philippine Sports Commission chairman Ricardo Garcia.
With the games scattered in three cities in Myanmar, it will mean more personnel will be needed and there will be additional travel expenses because there are no direct flights from Manila to Yangon.
Naypyidaw is the main hub, while games will also be held in Myanmar’s capital city of Yangon and Mandalay.
Garcia said that the PSC spent P80 million during the Indonesia SEA Games in 2011 held in Palembang and Jakarta.
“This may be more expensive than Indonesia,” said Garcia on Monday.
Garcia said the PSC actually spent P50 million for the country's participation in the Indonesia SEA Games because only P30 million was allotted as budget coming from the General Appropriations Act.
The current stand of the PSC is to send only a token delegation to the Myanmar SEA Games due to the increase of indigenous events that is perceived to favor the host country.
Several other events where the Philippines is considered a strong medal contender have also been scratched from the Games calendar this year. Non-traditional sports such as chinlone, vovinam, kempo and tarun derajat were included, while Olympic sports such as tennis were dropped.
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