MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Sports Commission chairman Harry Angping stood firm on sending a smaller delegation – only 130 athletes – to the Laos Southeast Asian Games in December considering that the Philippines is reeling from a spate of calamities that have claimed the lives of hundreds and billions of pesos in property lost.

“We need lean and modest delegation,” said Angping, adding that it would be quite ironic for the Philippines to spend so much on a big delegation and on athletes with very minimal chances of winning when thousands of Filipinos are suffering from the effects of a string of typhoons.

“We’re in a state of calamity. So, it wouldn’t look good for us to send a big delegation as we continue to seek help and relief from other countries,” Angping told more than 300 athletes whom he gathered for a pep talk at the typhoon-damaged Ninoy Aquino Stadium last Friday.

Angping set it straight and told the athletes that the government sports agency is looking at a delegation composed of only 130 athletes plus officials which should not number at least half of the athletes.

The PSC has put up a special team monitoring and tracking down the status of the national athletes – from the medalists of the 2007 Thailand SEA Games to those who have shown promise over the last two years. Based on this, the PSC came up with the list of athletes it would fund for the Laos trip.

“We only have 130 qualified athletes, and these are composed mainly of the gold and silver medalists in the last SEA Games. We are going to win our medals with these 130 athletes, and increasing the number does not necessarily mean increasing our chances, too, especially in measurable sports,” he said.

The Philippine Olympic Committee is looking at a bigger delegation of at least 160 athletes who will be accompanied by 90 (or more than half the number of athletes) officials. The POC said it is willing to fund the athletes that will not fall under the PSC’s own list of qualified athletes.

The Philippines sent 620 athletes to Thailand in 2007, and competed in 41 events. In Laos, the number of events has been dramatically slashed to 25, and the Philippines will compete in 19 of them. The Philippines finished sixth overall two years ago for its worst finish in the SEA Games.

But more than history, Angping said the recent state of the country, with more than 150 killed in the latest typhoon to cut through Northern Luzon (close to 250 were killed two weeks ago by a tropical storm), is enough reason for sports officials to consider a very lean delegation to Laos.

“Let us be modest. Mahirap naman tingnan na humihingi tayo ng tulong sa ibang bansa dahil sa kalamidad habang magpapadala tayo ng malaking delegasyon sa SEA Games,” Angping said.

Last Friday, Angping gave the athletes a report on the current state of the PSC and how it managed to save millions of pesos by eradicating malpractices such as ghost employees and coaches, a bloated gasoline allowance for the PSC, and water, electricity and phone bills.

“Whatever we save, we will spend on you,” said Angping, who brought the house down by announcing that starting next year, athletes who are receiving monthly allowances of only P15,000 can get as much as P25,000 to P50,000 as long as they prove their worth in the international arena.

“Win the medals and I can give you as much as P50,000 a month,” said Angping, adding that if this happens, the athletes will get the P25,000 a month while the other half goes into escrow for the athletes to withdraw and enjoy by the end of the year.

“From P15,000 they will feel the increase to P25,000, knowing that another P25,000 goes to the bank. Imagine how much money they can look forward to by the end of the year. But first we must help one another, and then they prove themselves,” said Angping.  – Abac Cordero