Out of 21 active NSAs only four or five are providing support to the local NSA chapters, according to Davao City Sports Council Inc. (DCSCI) president Vic Sai.
DCSCI is composed of NSA heads in Southern Mindanao. There are 53 NSAs organized for sports ranging from archery to wushu.
Sai, former Davao Football Association chief, has urged the Manila-based "mother NSAs" to provide support to local NSA chapters which have produced talented athletes in various sport disciplines.
"They must give support to the local NSAs. Yung mga magagaling na athletes ay galing sa probinsiya," (The talented athletes come from the provinces) said Sai during the Davao Sportswriters Association Forum on Thursday.
NSAs are autonomous in character and have exclusive technical control over the promotion and development of the particular sport for which they were organized.
One of theirs functions is to adopt a training program for athletes in preparation for international competitions.
NSAs are not obliged to give "financial assistance" for staging tournaments in the locality but they are required to provide transportation to athletes who will compete in national open competitions organized by a particular NSA, Sai said.
"But ang nangyayari ngayon yung mga athletes na pupunta ng mga national games doon na nanghihingi sa city government ng pamasahe. Dapat magbigay sila ng pang transpo (transportation) para sa mga athletes (But what's happening now is that athletes competing in national games are asking transportation from the city government. Mother NSAs must provide transportation to the athletes),” he said.
According to Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) regulations, all accredited NSAs are given specific financial allocations every year (by the PSC) for local competitions and international exposure subject to accounting and auditing rules of government.
The PSC, headed by Dabawenyo William "Butch" Ramirez, is the government’s financial arm in sports.
But according to Belen Kempis-Taala, Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (Patafa) Southern Mindanao Director, "We have not tried yet to ask support from them (mother NSA)".
"They authorized us to solicit here. Supposedly, mayroon talaga dapat support yan (It should receive support)," she said.
Deedee Gonzales, Philippine Amateur Swimming Association (PASA) regional chief, said they are receiving "financial assistance" for the staging of local tournaments. (Rico Biliran/MindaNews)