THE battle is not yet over as far as the landmark decision of the Supreme Court regarding the proper remittances of two government agencies to the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is concerned.
Former Pampanga congressman and PBA coach Yeng Guiao said it’s imperative to see the actual execution of the decision ordering the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to remit the full amount of five percent of gross income to the PSC from 1993 to the present, and the 30 percent of the charity fund of sweepstakes and lottery draw of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) from 2006 to the present to the same sports funding agency of the government.
“Ayaw natin na parang moral victory lang ito. Legally and morally, we’re standing on solid grounds. ‘Yung bulk of the work nandiyan na,” said Guiao in the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday, where he was accompanied by his lawyer Atty. Avelino ‘Jun’ Guzman Jr.
“We don’t want this decision to become a paper judgement. Ang kailangan talaga dito ‘yung pondo pumasok sa PSC,” added Guzman in the session held at the conference room of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex and presented by San Miguel Corporation, PSC, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, Smart/PLDT, and the country’s 24/7 sports app ArenaPlus.
“Kaya ang una talaga natin na dapat gawin ay bantayan ang decision na ito because as far as we’re concerned, nagawa na natin ‘yung pinaka-mahirap na parte,” he added.
The Supreme Court handed down the decision last week mandating both PAGCOR and PCSO to release the appropriate budget allocation to the PSC, eight years since Guiao, then vice chairman of the House Committee on Youth and Sports, filed the petition before the highest court in the land.
Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen penned the decision that was heard en banc by the 15-man Supreme Court, none among them inhibited themselves from the petition.
Under the rules, according to Guzman, both PAGCOR and PCSO can no longer appeal the decision, but have 15 days to file a motion for reconsideration.
As of Tuesday, the two government agencies have yet to make their move.
As per his estimate, Guiao said the PSC could get as much as P25 billion in funds after PAGCOR cut down its contribution to just 2.1735 percent of its gross income starting in 1993 on the strength of an executive order from the Office of the President, handed down during the time of President Ramos.
“Ang kuwenta ko, tingin ko nasa P25 billion siya,” said Guiao, who considers the decision as the most consequential event since the creation of the PSC in 1990.
The Rain or Shine coach, who was the lone petitioner in the case, stressed that such a huge amount of budget could help the establishment of sports complexes around the country and fund the training and campaign of Filipino athletes for years to come.
“Masarap pakinggan, magandang isipin. Pero ang dapat makinabang dito ‘yung mga atleta. Makalimutan na kami, ok lang ‘yun. Pero at least sa next generations of athletes, may na-contribute kami,” said Guiao of this huge contribution he and his lawyer provided for Philippine sports. “Ang dapat lang makinabang diyan ‘yung bayan, ‘yung athletes, at ‘yung sports program sa grassroots level.”
