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Friday, December 02, 2005
Organizers, not Cebu City, spent for opening rites
CEBU CITY -- The Cebu City Government spent for food and accommodations of the Philippine team and not for the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games opening ceremony.
Although P2.8 million was used for the opening at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) last November 25, the Cebu SEA Games Organizing Committee (Cebu-Soc) spent its own funds.
City Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem said the money City Hall spent went to the country's athletes who are competing here in Cebu.
"We spent P3 million plus on the accommodations, food and airline tickets of the Philippine team. Nothing for the opening," he said.
Jakosalem made the clarification after it was earlier reported that the City Government spent for the welcome ceremony, which City officials said served as a test of the City's readiness to host the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit next year.
But Mayor Tomas Osmeña earlier questioned why City Hall spent more than P2 million for the SEA Games. He said he just approved P 2 million.
Jakosalem said the mayor pledged P3 million, while the council approved P2.4 million.
As of last Wednesday, however, the City Government has already shelled out P3.2 million, using excess money from the sports development fund, he said.
Ricky Ballesteros, SEA Games opening and closing ceremonies co-chairperson, said the funds they used came from the Philippine Sports Commission and other sponsors.
He said P3 million was allotted for the opening and closing ceremonies, with P2.8 million of it spent for the November 25 opening rites.
Of the amount, P225,000 was spent on the fireworks display at the end of the ceremony and P75,000 for the stage fireworks.
The fireworks for the closing ceremony on December 5 at the SM City mall parking area will be donated by Pyroworks, which also lit the skies during the opening.
Ballesteros said that although Cebu-Soc just has P196,000 left, exchange deals and sponsorships will help in staging "a simple closing ceremony."
Meanwhile, Cebu Provincial Police Director Vicente Loot believes that the security preparations for the 23rd SEA Games "paid off" as he received good feedback from the organizers and athletes.
Loot has also ordered the Danao City Police Station to locate possible areas where gun dealers abound, after a three-year-old girl was wounded while she and her family were on their way to the grounds where the SEA Games mountain bike competition was to take place.
The Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 is also calling on the owners of various personal items that were deposited at the entrance of the Cebu City Sports Center last November 25 to claim them at the office of the Regional Police Community Relations Division in Camp Sergio Osmeña Sr.
Superintendent Alexander Abadinas, PRO 7 public information officer, said the owners of the deposited items should bring the corresponding claim tag numbers. (RHM/MEA of Sun.Star Cebu/Sunnex)
(December 2, 2005 issue)
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