Pennies for Gold: An investigative study on government support to national athletes under the Philippine Sports Commission
Complativo, C., & Panaligan, M.G. (2014). Pennies for Gold: An investigative study on government support to national athletes under the Philippine Sports Commission, Unpublished Undergraduate thesis, University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication.
Abstract:
This study establishes the relationship between the apparent decline in the performance of Philippine national athletes in the Southeast Asian and Asian Games to the financial support given by the government coursed through the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC). It aims to evaluate the performance of the athletes through the medal tally and probe the budget allocation for PSC along with the National Sports Associations (NSAs) management of the funds they received.
Using statistical data from information obtained from the PSC and the Commission on Audit (COA), this study proves that poor performance of the athletes can be attributed to the failure of the Commission to get hold of the funds mandated to be part of their budget from their share in the income of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO). In addition, the mismanagement of the funding of the NSAs also affects the financial support to the athletes, thereby also affecting their performance in competitions.
The researchers employed investigative approach to probe deeper on the issues of the sports sector. Interviews and statistical analysis were also used to interpret the data gathered from pertinent documents.
Keywords: Investigative journalism, Philippine sports, national athletes, government support, Philippine Sports Commission