Monday, August 13, 2007 Is there hope for Paglaum? By Henry C. Villalva Offside
THE Paglaum Sports Complex has once again hit the headlines in recent weeks after it was announced that the Negros Occidental Provincial Government, the original owner of Paglaum, has filed a case against the Department of Education (DepEd) for alleged breach of contract, thereby signifying its bid to reclaim ownership of the said sports facility.
Apparently, Capitol has raised its voice over the sad fact that DepEd has failed to honor the terms of the memorandum of agreement it had signed with Capitol which stipulates, among others, that it should maintain the complex in return for Capitol’s donation of the facility to them.
In the interest of sports development we believe that the provincial government is right in wanting to get back Paglaum. Why? Because since the time Paglaum was turned over to DepEd, the donee has done practically nothing to maintain or develop the facility for the benefit of sports in this part of the country. As a matter of fact, we have seen how the complex has steadily deteriorated from the tie it was donated to DepEd and during the particular span of time when management was given to whoever is managing it until now.
The same can be said of the deterioration that has happened, and is still happening to Paglaum, from the time it was renovated for the 2005 Southeast Asian Games’ men’s football competition up to now. And if left under the supervision of the present management only heaven knows what could probably be in store for Paglaum. God forbid.
By the way, in fairness to the people who were directly involved in the renovation of Paglaum according to the standards specified by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) which supervised the staging here of the 2005 SEA Games men’s football competition, we honestly think it is not fair for some people to allege that the renovations done at Paglaum were not worth the money spent for the purpose. It’s certainly not fair to people like Mr. Ricky Yanson of Dynamic Builders, the company which undertook Paglaum’s renovation for the 2005 SEA Games.
We were told by a very reliable source that Dynamic Builders even had to advance its own funds so that the Paglaum renovation could meet the deadline. And, having covered sporting events at Paglaum for the last decade and a half, we have witnessed how Paglaum was transformed from its previous sorry state to its world-class status as an international football venue which passed the requirements of the AFC inspectors. And if only for this we salute Mr. Ricky Yanson and Dynamic Builders for the accomplishment beyond the call of duty.
However, it is sad indeed that barely a year and a half after the SEA Games when we went back to Paglaum to cover a football event we noticed all sorts of paper announcements posted in the repainted walls of the grandstand, and the dugout from the front grandstand stairs going to the pitch already started to stink crazy like you know what.
We don’t want to say who should manage Paglaum since obviously it’s now up for the court to decide. We’re simply asking: until when must we have to wait until someone in his right senses rescues Paglaum from sure demise?
