have the boxer?s conditioning expert to look into the Filipino athletes? fitness and nutrition program.
PSC chairman Richie Garcia met with Pacquiao late Wednesday night at the Batasang Pambansa and the fighter assured him that he will send Alex Ariza to lend a helping hand.
Sounding flabbergasted upon learning that Pacquiao?s training camp diet ?is basic Filipino food like chicken tinola,? Garcia said Ariza will likely spend some time with sports officials ?to know their secrets.?
Ariza, a native of Colombia but who now resides in Los Angeles, has been with Pacquiao since mid-2008 and was in his corner against the likes of Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto.
?We are trying to get him (Ariza) to spare even a day to talk to our coaches and people concerned with nutrition,? said Garcia, noting that ?Manny?s performance is remarkable, having fought in so many weights and yet he could still perform at a high level.?
The Asian Games is scheduled Nov. 12 to 27 in Guangzhou, China, and Garcia said there is still time to correct and improve the athletes? nutritional program in line with the PSC and POC?s drive to surpass the country?s four-gold medal haul in the 2006 Doha Games.
So far, the POC has approved the participation of 240-plus athletes but Garcia said the number could go down to about 200 if the 44-member dragon boat men and women?s team fail to make the grade in a test run to be held soon.
The PSC has earmarked P30 million for the participation in Guangzhou and Garcia stressed that the amount is already fixed.
?Hanggang P30 million lang kami. We will now have a list of priorities on how to spend the money. No. 1 is the athletes and the second will be coaches and trainers and third will be the secretariat of the Asian Games including the medical. If we will exceed P30 million we will cut down on the team managers.?
Garcia added: ?We will just remove those who are not as important as the others this won?t be a junket.?
