This time, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is willing to support the members of the elite RP team to the Guangzhou Asian Games all the way.

The PSC, for one, has earmarked P1 million plus budget for a six-week training of long jumper Marestela Torres in Cologne, Germany.

“So that they will no longer complain that they haven’t been given the opportunity to improve their craft, the PSC is going all-out for them,” said PSC chair Harry Angping.

Even Fil-Am netters Cecil Mamiit and Conrad Treat will be given a specific amount to finance their travel all over the US in search of tournaments instead of the usual practice of giving athletes their monthly stipend and the typical serving of foreign trips.

Aside from Torres and the Fil-Am netters, other members of the elite team who's entitled to receive huge financial help from the government agency are Miguel Molina and Daniel Coakley (swimming), Wesley So (chess), Marna Pabillore (karatedo), Biboy Rivera (bowling), and Rubilyn Amit (billiards).

By providing them the needed financial help, Angping expects the elite athletes to raise their level of play by the time they compete in the 2010 Asian Games in China this November.

“This is an experiment on the part of the PSC,” said Angping, stressing that the PSC’s decision to concentrate this year on the Asian Games as well as finance their overseas training and exposure should give the athletes all the reasons to train hard and enhance their skills.

The list is expected to slightly grow in the coming weeks and months but Angping said only a handful will be added since the Asian standard is high even for those who have turned the Southeast Asian Games as their playground.

“I just hope that they deliver (medals). I expect a lot from them,” added Angping.

The training program of the others in the buildup to Guangzhou have yet to be finalized.