The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) have come to the aid of national athletes and coaches hit by Typhoon Odette recently.
The PSC board chaired by William Ramirez has approved on Tuesday the release of a P15,000 assistance to each of the 85 athletes and 20 coaches from 24 sports who were affected by the storm that left a trail of devastation in the Visayas, Mindanao and some parts of Southern Luzon.
POC President Abraham Tolentino has also donated P10,000 each to Cebu-based former Southeast Asian Games marathon gold medalist Mary Joy Tabal and 10 athletes and two coaches who are members of the national surfing team currently based in Siargao.
“We hope to get in touch with the others the soonest possible time so we can further our assistance to them,” said Mr. Tolentino. “We’re hoping and praying that no other athletes or coaches have been severely affected by the typhoon.”
The PSC had also sent 10,000 bottles of water and 900 units of mattresses as part of its relief efforts in partnership with the Special Services Office of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), which also oversees the detailed service of the country’s military athletes.
The PSC also earmarked a P50,000 financial aid to the rehabilitation of the weightlifting gym in Bohol that was also utterly damaged by the calamitous weather.
Mr. Ramirez has also showed faith to the Filipino athletes that it can rise above these disasters.
“They are trained to overcome, to survive and to win. They might be sad for a while, but the champions in them will prod them to rise up and help themselves and those around them so that together they can get through this,” he said. — Joey Villar