PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. has ordered the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to ensure funding for the hiring of additional personnel and continued operations and activities of the Philippine National Anti-Doping Organization (PHI-NADO) in compliance with the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) audit this year, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO)said yesterday.
The PCO said an executive order would soon be issued for the separation of the PHI-NADO from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and making it an attached agency instead.
Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Richard Bachmann and Executive Director Paulo Francisco Tatad reported to the President in Malacanang last Friday about the country’s compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code (WADC), including the proposed institutionalization of the PHI-NADO.
At present, PHI-NADO is a division under the PSC but a bill, House Bill No. 7927, creating PHI-NADO as a separate and independent agency attached to the PSC, has already been filed in May 2023 and is currently pending with the Committee on Youth and Sports Development in the House of Representatives.
Tatad said to ensure continuous compliance with the Code and WADA audit, the PHI-NADO should become a separate independent office attached to the PSC.
The passage of the law would also enable PHI-NADO to create plantilla positions and hire more people.
“We need to be independent in terms of operational decisions and activities as provided by the World Anti-Doping Code (Article) 20.5.1 granted to the NADOs, without limitation by prohibiting any involvement in operational decision or activities, at the same time involved in management or operations of the federations, the major event organizations, the National Olympic Committee, the National Paralympic Committee, government departments with responsibility for sports as well. So, operational independence from the said entities,” Tatad said.
The PCO said the President is amenable to the establishment of the PHI-NADO and the hiring of more manpower to effectively implement anti-doping activities.
It added that DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandman, who was present in the same meeting, reported that under the PSC’s 2024 budget, an estimated P40.87 million has been included for PHI-NADO which can be used for its operational expenses.
Pangandaman said the same budget can be used for the hiring of additional personnel.
