Monday, August 13, 2007 Another ‘shameful’ moment for Bacolod softbelles By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan and Jerome S. Galunan, Jr.
HISTORY repeats itself for Bacolod-Negros (Ba-Neg) softbelles who are bound for the US to compete in the Little League World Series.
For the third time now, the group composed of 10 softbelles and coaching staff from various schools in Bacolod, is again in a “shameful” scenario for having no ample money to pay for their fares to the US.
The softbelles are from St. Joseph High School, Domingo Lacson National High School and Education Training Center School (ETCS). They are still in Rizal Memorial Sports Park in Pasay City in Manila.
The situation then prompted Bacolod Councilor Homer Bais, acting as head of the Bac-Neg delegation, to pawn their family’s land in the amount of P250,000 just to cover up the amount needed to buy for the girls tickets.
In a phone interview Sunday night, Bais said, “This is a sort of sacrifice on my part for the sake of the girls.”
“I have no choice but to gamble our land just to see to it that the girls can fly,” he added. Bais said their 18-man delegation will be flying at noon Monday but will be split into two groups.
One group will take take Japan Airlines while the one will at the Northwest Airlines.
“Hopefully, we can have our flights (Monday) so we can arrive there in Kirkland in time of the opening (Tuesday),” he said.
Fully-booked
Bais explained that aside from fund lack, another reason why they were stranded in Manila was because almost all trips to the US were already fully-booked.
He, however, said they’ve already phoned the organizers of the Little League Series and asked them to re-schedule the games of Ba-Neg group so to let the girls have an ample time to familiarize the playing field as well as for acclimatization.
Pledges
Bais, meanwhile, said of the P500,000 he promised to raise, only P250,000 was able to realize.
The P200,000 was provided by the City Government of Bacolod and another P50,000 from the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental.
The rest, he said will come from the pledges of some of the Negros mayors.
“But I think it will come two to three weeks from now,” he said.
Same scenario, Same dilemma
Three years ago, the same group also figured in a funding brouhaha with coach Ray Fuentes from Paglaum National High School who reportedly spent the money intended for the travel expense of the group for his own personal consumption.
Fuentes is on hiding in the US until now.
Last year, the same group also suffered the same scenario and dilemma after a travel agency in Bacolod refused to issue tickets for their travel from Bacolod to Manila and to the US.
This was after this travel agency (name withheld) insisted that it could not release any ticket for the Ba-Neg softbelles not until they pay the tickets cost.
Parents of the girls complained before the Department of Education (DepEd) prompting City Schools Division Superintendent Milagros Gonzales to address the problem.
Now, the same scenario happened again.
Loss of trust and confidence
Bacolod Representative Monico Puentevella, in a press conference said Sunday he was saddened by the group’s fate.
“I thought all the while that it’s all system go for the girls and for the group headed by Councilor Bais because according to newspaper report in Bacolod everything is okay,” the lawmaker said.
That’s why I was shocked to read in several national dailies Friday last week that the Ba-Neg girls were stranded at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Pasay due to fund lack, he said.
“That’s why after reading such sad report about the Ba-Neg girls, I immediately talked to PSC Commissioner Butch Ramirez and asked for something to help the group. Thanks God that PSC immediately assured to act as guarantor for the tickets of 10 girls in a condition that it will be refunded in case the group can get the US$10,000 from the organizers of the tournament,” the lawmaker added.
Puentevella, however, the loss of trust and confidence was one of the reasons why the same group always suffers fund lack dilemma.
“I think people now are hesitant to give something for the group after the brouhaha caused by Mr. Fuentes three years ago,” Puentevella lamented.
