Thursday, September 20, 2007 Hearing on boxing for minors set Thursday By Grace L. Plata
THE first committee hearing on the proposed ordinance to regulate boxing among minors is set at 9 a.m. Thursday by the City Council committee on youth and sports development chaired by Councilor April Marie Dayap.
Originally proposed by Councilor Karlo S. Bello, the law is aimed to ensure the safety of young boxers during training or inside the ring.
According to Bello, the considerable rise in the involvement of minors in boxing is primarily due to the success of Filipino professional boxers in the international arena, thus leading minors to participate in local boxing contests, either with or without monetary rewards, and some of them being enrolled by their parents in sports clinics or schools.
"Boxing should be supported by the State for it promotes the youth's physical, moral, intellectual, and social well-being. Hazards, however, injuries and harmful effects are inherent or attendant in boxing, most particularly toward children or minors,” he said.
Bello added: “This can be aggravated by negligent acts of persons or individuals including trainers, coaches and supervisors, promoters, managers or persons who exercise supervision over children or minors during boxing contests or competitions or during their trainings in sports clinics or schools."
The councilor said there is a need to eliminate, lessen or prevent hazards, injuries and harmful effects of boxing while encouraging and developing their noble intention in promoting such sport.
The initial draft of the ordinance includes provisions that require trainers, coaches, owners of boxing clinics or gyms to provide the necessary safety or protective gear, vest or paraphernalia within their clinics or gyms to be utilized by their students who are minors.
The quality, thickness, kind or fit of such gears, vest or paraphernalia will be determined in Thursday's hearing.
Proposed penalties for violations of the ordinance is the maximum penalty as provided for under Section 458 of Republic Act 7160, an imprisonment of not exceeding one year, or fine not exceeding P5,000 or both at the discretion of the court.
Councilor Edgar Ibuyan, chief of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines in city, however, said their association has already set up safety measures for minor boxers.
"It is already included in our rules that no boxer is trained or let into the ring for bouts without necessary medical and physical clearances. We also provide the protective gear during training and fights," Ibuyan said.
He added though that the ordinance is most welcome especially the part of setting sanctions for violations as well as to formalize and institutionalize the local boxing industry.
