YENG Guiao said the decision by the Supreme Court ordering Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation to remit the proper amount to the Philippine Sports Commission is perfect timing as the country celebrates its campaign in the Paris Olympics.
The former Pampanga vice-governor and congressman said the landmark SC decision is what Philippine sports needs as it looks to replicate or even surpass the country’s performance in the 2024 Paris Olympics where Carlos Yulo captured two gold medals and Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas bagging a bronze each.
“Parating kulang ang funding natin para sa mga athletes natin. Magandang timing din ngayon na nanalo tayo ng gold medals sa Olympics. May momentum tayo. Eto puwede nating gamitin sa momentum na mapaganda pa natin ang ating sports programs,” said Guiao in an interview with Noli Eala in his Power and Play program.
“Hindi lang ito para sa athletes lang. Para lahat ito sa mga Pilipinong mahilig sa sports, kahit na hindi ka elite level,” said Guiao.
SC has ordered Pagcor to remit the full five percent of its gross income from 1993 to present to the PSC for its National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) used for funding of the elite and grassroots programs.
Pagcor was previously remitting five percent of its net income, which means the PSC stands to receive billions from the retroactive application of the SC ruling.
The SC ruling was from a petition Guiao filed by his own when he was still the Pampanga congressman in 2016. Guiao admitted it was a challenge to draw support for his petition from the House assome of the funds that was supposed to go to the PSC went to the Office of the President.
“Naglakas loob lang tayo. Sabi nga nila, ‘Coach, pati ba naman Malacanang lalabanan mo diyan.’ Tama naman kasi ang ginagawa natin. Eto ‘yung batas. Ang nalulugi dito ‘yung sports programs natin at mga atleta,” Guiao recalled.
“Walang gustong sumama sa akin. Ako lang ang nag-file nito. Kinukumbinsi ko ‘yung mga ibang kasama ko, samahan niyo ako dito, nakakatakot ‘yung laban na ‘to kung ako lang mag-isa. Wala eh. Sabi ko, ako na lang ang mag-file sa Supreme Court."
Guiao said he also has his lawyer Jun Guzman to thank for in his petition.
“Tama naman ang mga argumento natin at kinampihan tayo sa Supreme Court. Salamat sa Supreme Court na nakita nila na talagang etong pondo na ‘to ay dapat nakikinabang ang mga atleta at sports program ng Pilipinas for generations to come,” he added.
From his calculations, Guiao said the PSC could stand to receive P25 billion from the collection of the full remittance from 1993 to present as well as the 30 percent that the PSC has also not been remitted by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.
Guiao said the amount is enough to build one sports complex per region which would help in, for starters, encourage ordinary Filipinos to engage into sports.
“Kung may ganyang facilities bawat region, ang daming mahihilig sa sports,” said Guiao. “At kung hindi ka naman mahilig sa sports, ‘yung maeentertain ka, manonood ka, ‘yung everyday maglalakad ka sa track oval niyo, at meron kayong park na puwedeng gamitin, magbisikleta, just for general health, ‘yan ang pakinabang nito.”
Guiao also acknowledged the challenge for Pagcor to remit the amount that dates back to 1993, but the now Rain or Shine coach said Pagcor can slowly remit in installments.
“Hindi mo makukuha ng isang bagsak. Parang magiging installment which is still good. Ma-spread out mo ‘yan para hindi rin naman mahirapan ang Pagcor. Puwedeng imbis na nag-reremit ka ng five percent, baka puwedeng 5.5 percent of six percent hanggang matakpan mo ‘yung pagkukulang,” said Guiao.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
