7-member Davao City boxing team eyes national berths sans LGU support

GENERAL SANTOS CITY - Seven entries, from the original eight-member Davao City boxing team, eye national championship berths sans support from the local government unit (LGU) as the PSC-Pacquiao Amateur Boxing Cup Mindanao Preliminaries was set to open at Robinsons Place here yesterday afternoon.

Davao City head coach Librado I. Sagarino Jr., in an interview with SunStar Davao at the sidelines of the official weigh-in at Lagao Gym here Saturday morning, said one of their boxers could no longer compete as he dropped weight from his official entry weight category. The boxer's actual weight was already the same as that of his teammate. A team can only field one boxer per weight category.

"Sayang lagi kay pito nalang makadula (It's unfortunate that only seven will be able to play)," Sagarino said.

He was pertaining to Davao City National High School (DCNHS) boxers John Alvin Gonzales and Cyril Ivan Revilla; Marilog National High School's Reymond Albupera and Emmanuel Canubas; University of Mindanao (UM) Davao's Curt Nnelgy Manigsasa; Buhangin's John Ednoel Prevendido and out-of-school youth Joshua Padual.

Sagarino said they are rooting on Albay Palaro gold medalist Prevendido and Batang Pinoy national silver medalist Padual.

"Dako ni sila og tyansa nga mag-medal og muabot sa national finals (Both have strong chances of winning medals and making it to the national finals)," the head coach said, adding that the rest of the boxers, who are mostly champions in Davao City Athletic Association (Dcaa) Meet and will compete in the 2018 Davao Region Athletic Association (Davraa) Meet, may pull off surprises.

He, however, said, "Dulaon paman gud. Kusog ang Cagayan de Oro, dili pa jud ta makaingon kung unsay maging dagan sa dula (Bouts will have yet to be played. Cagayan de Oro boxers are strong, we really can't say how the competition will go)."

Pooled resources

The city's boxing team with four coaches and one team manager, Maria Flor Diaz, pooled resources together with some help from the boxers' parents and teachers just to make the trip here.

Sagarino said that they sought help from the Sports Development Division-City Mayor's Office (SDD-CMO) for financial assistance.

"Alanganin na sab ang pag-request namo kay ulahi napud mi ma advisan sa petsa sa dula. Maglisod na daw process sila sa among request kay ipit na sa oras. Pero nag-decide man mi nga mudayon kay sayang ang oportunidad sa mga bata. Nangayo nalang mi og tabang sa mga ginikanan og mga teachers sa mga boxers. Miduol mi sa mga city councilors, P700 total among na-raise gikan sa uban nila (We only recently knew the schedule of the tournament so it was late for us to request from the city sports office, it would be difficult for them to process our request with limited time. We still decided to push through in joining the tournament for the boxers' welfare. We sought help from the boxers' parents and teachers. We also solicited from some of the city councilors and raised a total of P700 from them)," Sagarino said.

SDD-CMO officer-in-charge Mikey Aportadera, in a phone interview, said any request to his office will have to go through usual government procedure that usually takes longer time to process.

He said, "Lisod jud kay muagi pa og proseso, dili man na madali-dali (It's difficult as it have to go through a process. It can't be rushed)."

PSC SUBSIDY

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has given a subsidy of P600 meal allowance for each athlete and coach and another P600 for every participant's transportation.

The delegates from Davao City, Barangay Aglayan in Malaybalay, Barangay Labangal, Cagayan de Oro City, Digos City, General Santos City, Kidapawan City, Koronadal City, Malungon in Sarangani, Polomolok in South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat are billeted at Lagao Elementary School and J. Catolico Elementary School. They have also been provided with sleeping mats.

A total of 90 entries signed up in male and female divisions of the tournament presented by the PSC and the Philippine Sports Institute (PSI) with Senator Manny Pacquiao and sanctioned by the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (Abap).

Winners of the two-day preliminaries will advance to the Mindanao quarterfinals on February 10 and 11, 2018 in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato.

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