Liberal Party standard bearer Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III vowed that once he is elected he is going to give the necessary support for sports in the country.

“We cannot say at this point in time that it will be a priority because our reserves are in question. There is a 300 billion deficit last year; there is a projected P300 billion deficit for this year. If we make promises now we should be sure that we will have enough funds to address the problem,” Aquino said during an interview with reporters.

Aquino lamented the support that Filipino sportsmen are getting from the government.

“I think it was a sports writer who brought it to my attention. He mentioned that in 2007 our boxers were not afforded uniforms. They had to borrow uniforms. What kind of support is this? Perhaps we should focus on sports where we have good potentials,” Aquino pointed out.

According to the Tarlac senator, government’s support on sports has to be more focused and on the sports where Filipinos have more potentials like track and field, boxing, wushu, billiards and even arnis, the national sports.

“It does not have to be all foreign sports. (We have to) create the role models that can serve us in so many aspects, values of discipline and hard work, and more importantly role model for a lot of our countrymen,” said Aquino.

Aquino said he himself was into sports and has tried playing tennis, pelota, swimming, billiards. “And even practical shooting but since there is a gun ban there is no practice at this time,” he said.

He said one key in addressing the pitiable condition of Filipino athletes is to fight corruption with an iron hand.

Aquino said situation in which sports bodies are in conflict with each other will not be tolerated during his administration.