ANGPING

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) on Friday hurled a challenge to the members of the national team as chairman Harry Angping dangled a hefty financial package for those who would raise their level of play in international competition.

Speaking before 300 athletes at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Angping said athletes who can win medals in the 2010 Asian Games will receive as much as P25,000 per month from the agency as long they remain in the national pool.

“My plan is to give the Asian Games gold medalist P25,000 and the silver or bronze P20,000.”

Presently, members of the national team only get P15,000 from the PSC and Angping said “that’s not enough considering that they have families to feed and their retirement to worry about.”

“They won’t be athletes forever so they have to prepare for their future,” said Angping, whose plan to increase the monthly stipend was warmly received by the athletes.

Angping said if a certain athlete can show and prove that he or she is world-caliber, the PSC can give him as much as P50,000 a month.

Finding funds won’t be a problem, Angping stressed, adding that the coming year promises to give the PSC additional funding from government agencies like the PCSO.

“Show me what you’re made of and I will not hesitate to reward you,” said Angping, a two-time Manila congressman.

“If an athlete is deserving of getting that much (P50,000), I will give it to him.”