After two weeks of keeping things under wraps, Sun.Star learned yesterday that the 25 priority athletes of the Greater Cebu Sports Organizing Committee (GCSOC) will continue with their bid in the Arafura Games after all.
GCSOC will shoulder the airfare of the 25 as originally promised by the group’s founder, Jonathan Guardo.
This comes almost two weeks after Guardo bent his promise of fully shouldering the trip of 25 athletes and coaches and was instead going to just give a $200 subsidy.
Yesterday, however, Sun.Star discovered that GCSOC is not shutting off support as the original plan—which has GCSOC shouldering their airfare—is still on and everything is going smoothly.
Sun.Star called GCSOC executive director Allan Torrevillas after his meeting with Guardo but all he said was, “It is very positive and promising. We all know that Atan could never say no to the athletes. Let’s just wait and see.“
On the other hand, Philippine Sports Commission senior executive assistant Joseph Encabo said GCSOC “has completed all requirements way before and I believe they are ready for the games.”
Also confirming that the trip will go on is a member of the delegation, who asked not to be named.
“Everything is prepared. We are just waiting for the date when we will be leaving. It was a relief knowing that we are going because we have prepared for this competition,” a member of the delegation said.
The member added that they were asked to keep the development quiet to take the hype off them for a while.
Community help
Apart from the 25 prioritized athletes from six sports, GCSOC will also be joined by 20 others, who will be spending for their own trip.
Those who need to shell out money from their own pockets only need to spend for their airfare as their billeting and meals will be shouldered by the Filipino community, who started a home-stay program for their kababayans.
Other than this, the Arafura organizing committee, has been encouraging school children to join their adopt-a-country program.
Darwin school children are being encouraged to adopt-a-country for the Arafura Games to get students more involved in the city’s biggest sporting event.
Chief Minister Clare Martin officially launched the program at Millner Primary School with the help of the Chung Wah Society’s Chinese lions.
“The Arafura Games are all about competitors from different cultures coming to compete and enjoy the great Territory lifestyle,” Martin said in an official statement.
“Children from each school will help to design and produce a banner for their chosen country–with some students given the honour of carrying it in the opening ceremony,” she added.(MCB)
