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Thursday, August 25, 2005
Oyson: Cebusoc roils over P50 million aid to Bacolod
By Manuel N. Oyson, Jr.
Counter Punch
UNFAIR? Or playing favorites? Depends on how one looks at it. I am referring to the news in this corner that Bacolod City will be the recipient of a P50 million bounty for having been chosen a regional hub for the 23rd Southeast Asian Games on Nov. 27 to Dec. 5. The sourcing will reportedly be P40 million from the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Philsoc) and another P10 million from the Philippine Sports Commission.
There is no mention that Cebu City or Mandaue City will also receive the some benefits, even lesser. Jonathan Guardo, chair of the Cebu City Sports Commission and chairman of Cebu SEA Games Organizing Committee (Cebusoc), is naturally upset about the special treatment given to Bacolod. He said it is unfair because Cebu has been requesting for financial assistance from Philsoc, but that there has been no commitment yet. He lamented that Bacolod got it without even a second thought.
However, it has been denied by Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentvella, who clarified that only the budget has been approved.
NAIVE. I am not surprised. I would even say that organizers behind Cebu’s bid to host some of the SEA Games are being naive. In an earlier column (“SEA Games won’t promote Cebu – Osmeña,” SSC, 11/06/005), I quoted Guardo as saying that Cebu needs a budget of P12 million for being a regional hub, including the P9.5 million for hosting six events.
At that time, I reported that Mayor Tomas Osmeña had set aside P2.5 million for what he considered “a sense of participation and contribution to the Arroyo administration.”
But in that same column, I quoted the mayor as saying he would rather spend the money on the Sinulog festival or a big Christmas party for senior citizens. He explained that there is no justification to spend P2.5 million when nobody can watch because they are charging entrance fees.
In that same column, I mentioned that Bacolod needs at least P50 million to host boxing, volleyball, weightlifting and Men’s football. “There does not seem to be any problem with raising the money, as it only needs the approval of President Gloria M. Arroyo,” Puentevella said then.
CLOUT. He said he knows where to get the money, with the blessing of PGMA. Unquestionably, the word here is clout. The congressman definitely wields a lot of clout in sports circles. He is not only the chairman of the House Committee on Youth and Sports, he is also the vice president of the Philippine Olympic Committee. Add the fact of his being a member of the Seag Organizing Committee. The story in this section about Bacolod’s fortune was attributed by a Manila sportswriter to its having favorite sons Puentevella and PSC Commissioner Ritchie Garcia.
Cebu City needs something like P12 million for hosting six events. Only P3 million more is needed to reach the target. Despite the absence of PSC or Philsoc support, Cebu’s venues have already undergone some facelift and renovation.
Among them, the University of San Carlos Gym (P2 million) and Mandaue City Sports Complex (P1.7 million). Last year, Guardo himself expressed optimism that Cebu would raise the needed funds, if there is a shortfall, by tapping local and international sponsors. Even local government units can also be asked.
CATCH-UP. But time is running out as the Seag is only three months away. Even national training director Michael M. Keon admitted that time is not on Philsoc’s side. “Their backs are against the wall and they have to work hard. People lack money and they lack time. People are playing catch-up,” Keon said.
“The failure of Philsoc to finalize or repair the venues of a number of events and deliver the training equipment is denying the Filipino athletes the luxury of the hometown advantage.”
Cebu has found a sympathetic ally in Arnold “Kim” Atienza, chairman of the Manila Sports Council. He suggested that Philsoc should also afford Cebu what it gave to Bacolod. The son of Manila Mayor Lito Atienza said that Cebu is the only hub ready for the Games because “not even Philsoc itself is ready for the Seag.”
The latest twist as I write this is that POC president Peping Cojuangco has denied that satellite hub Bacolod will get P50 million for venue renovation. A Sun.Star Cebu story yesterday also said that Cebusoc organizers have apparently been appeased by the so-called special launching of the SEA Games in Cebu sometime next month, and are now smelling roses.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “The way I see it, Cebuanos are just too kind.” - Manila Sports Council chairman Kim Atienza
(mno@sunstar.com.ph)
(August 25, 2005 issue)
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