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Tuesday, November 22, 2005
SEA Games volunteers threaten to resign
By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
* Volunteers were not reportedly given their food allowance and uniforms
* An official of BaSoc, which is in charge of these matters, said these are "beyond their control"
* Blames the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee (PhilSoc) for the mess
ONE hundred Southeast Asian (SEA) Games civilian volunteers allegedly threatened to resign unless they receive their food allowance and uniforms on or before Sunday, Nov. 27.
The Police and the Army volunteers, belonging to the Task Force SEA Games-Western Visayas, were also complaining about their meal allowance.
These are the major headaches that the Bacolod Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (BaSoc) is facing just three days into the SEA Games in Bacolod City.
On top of that, there were reports that the cultural show participants during the pre-opening ceremony last Saturday were not given food and drinks.
This is aside from the claims that the international delegates have to ride public utility vehicles instead of the expected private or rent-a-car vehicles.
BaSoc Secretary-General Eric Loretizo appealed to the public not to quickly judge BaSoc.
BaSoc is the body that is supervising the hosting of the 23rd SEA Games here. Transportation, food and allowances are supposedly among the concerns under its jurisdiction.
Loretizo claimed that the issues and complaints sprang from misconceptions as he pointed out that most of the problems are beyond their jurisdiction.
"In fact, we are now frustrated with all the delays and non-delivery of promises by PhilSoc (Philippine Sea Games Organizing Committee)," he said in an interview at the BaSoc office Monday afternoon.
Despite this, Loretizo added that BaSoc is willing to address these problems.
In the case of the 100 SEA Games civilian volunteers in Bacolod, he said these people are not under BaSoc control and supervision.
"Although they are here, the public should know that the volunteers are under the direct control and supervision of the National Youth Commission (NYC) which is also under PhilSoc," he said.
One of the volunteers told Sun.Star Monday that they can hardly bear anymore the pressures that come from serving the officials of the different countries and their delegates and the pressures from BaSoc.
"We don't know where to claim our (food) allowance so we could also have something to buy our foods. Imagine we will serve the country-delegation for 24 hours. But then, there's no budget for us. It's so tiring," the volunteer claimed.
As of press time, the 100 volunteers reportedly signed a statement of affirmation of commitment to the service -- meaning they promised not to abandon the Sea Games.
Of these volunteers, 11 are assigned with the very important persons (VIPs), 22 for hotel and country liaisons, 13 for weightlifting, 27 for volleyball, 17 for football, 9 are on standby status and one is acting as a liaison coordinator.
Loretizo said it was NYC that promised the volunteers uniforms and meal allowances.
After following up with PhilSoc-Manila, he said, the first sets of uniforms will be arriving Tuesday.
But as to the meal allowance, Loretizo said, "I don't know when it will come."
"Yes, I do share with what the volunteers are feeling now. I know their needs. But it's really beyond our limits and resources," he said.
He assured, though, that if worse comes to worst, they will address the problem locally "but one at a time."
On the complaint of the policemen and the Army volunteers who are rendering a 24-hour maximum security service, Loretizo said he already called Senior Insp. Wesley Barrayoga, head of the Task Force Sea Games 2005.
Western Visayas Police Director Doroteo Reyes II, for his part, said that if PhilSoc won't deliver the meal allowance it promised, the PNP will provide it from their local budget.
On the 11 units of double-tire public utility jeepneys used to ferry delegates around, Loretizo said, "We have no choice but to hire public utility vehicles because we don't have budget anymore."
He added that they are now addressing "one by one" the problem on the lack of food and drinks for the cultural show participants last Saturday.
He said based on the explanation of Tanya Lopez, director of the pre-opening program, the meal expenses of some of the cultural contingents were shouldered by their respective mayors.
Loretizo appealed to the public for understanding because BaSoc just had to make do with a P1 million budget for such a big event last Saturday.
"I hope people will understand us for this shortcoming," he said.
(November 22, 2005 issue)
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