NEWLY ELECTED Philippine Olympic Committee president Ricky Vargas yesterday said that companies outside of the Manny Pangilinan Group are willing to come forward to raise funds for the Olympic body and the Filipino athletes.
Pangilinan has put a seed money of P20 million for the POC, but according to Vargas, that won’t be the only financial help that the committee will get.
Vargas said corporate backers like Ayala Corp. and San Miguel Corporation have also come forward and are also coming to lend a financial hand of assistance to the POC.
After paying Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez a courtesy call yesterday, Vargas said he’s getting ready to work with the PSC on the needs of national athletes and the preparations for the 2018 Asian Games, and the hosting of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.
“After listening to the chairman, I know that we are of the same mind and we have a lot of things to do for the athletes,” said the POC chief.
Vargas, who heads the national sports association for boxing, said that the 2019 SEA Games and the 2020 Olympics are his primary concerns.
“It’s not only the Asian Games, but the SEA Games and the 2020 Olympics. We discussed the 2020 Olympics. It’s a tough job for a new president,” added Ramirez.
Ramirez said a meeting with Vargas and SEA Games Organizing Committee Chairman Foreign Affairs secretary Allan Peter Cayeteno is scheduled this week.
Vargas, who is still the chairman of the Philippine Basketball Association, revealed as the days progress, he is working on his timetable to get a new secretary general that will take the place of Steve Hontiveros and have a chief of staff in the POC.
He added that there’s a need to get the membership committee up and running, aside from putting a new arbitration committee in place.
The new POC chief said he is thankful early preparations have been in place for the country’s preparations for the Asiad, with help from the PSC.
He will be inducted this Saturday with POC Chairman Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino of cycling in rites to be held at the Sheraton Hotel, in the presence of Cayetano, presidential adviser for sports Dennis Uy and possibly telecom chief Pangilinan.