Malacañang said Monday that the alleged lack of financial support for Filipino athletes competing in the 2026 Asian Games must be investigated, saying the matter needs to be given attention to determine where the shortcomings occurred and who was responsible.
“Alam naman po natin kung paano po pinapahalagahan ng ating Pangulo ang ating mga manlalaro. Sa ganito pong pagkakataon, kailangan po itong pagtuunan ng pansin, saan may kulang, sino ang may pagkukulang,” Castro said during a press briefing.
She added that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. does not want Filipino athletes representing the country to be deprived of adequate support.
“Kapag nagkataon po na ito ay totoo at may umabuso dapat lang po na mapanagot kung sino ang mga umaabuso,” Castro stressed.
“Ang tinitiyak lang po natin na ayaw ng pangulo na ang ating mga manlalaro ay hindi nabibigyan ng sapat na ayuda,” she added.
The Palace spokesperson said the reports would be investigated to determine what the athletes actually experienced.
“Dapat lang po, lahat po ng umaabuso sa kapangyarihan, lalo na kung may isyu tungkol sa pondo, hindi po sila dapat na maging masaya kung sila man ay nakalamang dahil pananagutin po sila,“ Castro said.
"Hindi po kasi gusto ng Pangulo na iyong nagri-represent sa ating bansa ay sila pa iyong nahihirapan dahil parang hindi tumutugon ang gobyerno sa pangangailangan nila. Ayaw na ayaw na po iyan ng Pangulo," she ended.
The Palace statement comes after Alas Pilipinas men's volleyball team captain Bryan Bagunas disclosed the financial difficulties experienced by some members of the team ahead of and during the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Bagunas said some players had been borrowing money from teammates and others just to attend training sessions and travel home. He also said the players sometimes had to pay for their own meals when their training schedules did not coincide with hotel meal times.
The Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) subsequently apologized for the situation, acknowledging that its efforts to support the national team had not been enough.
The federation said its current leadership inherited substantial financial liabilities and outstanding obligations and was conducting an inventory and review of its financial records, including previously received funds and their disbursements.
The PNVF also said it is conducting a “comprehensive inventory and accounting” of its financial records, including reconciling funds previously received and determining their corresponding disbursements.
