Thursday , 28 March 2024

Boycott threatens Palaro in Tagum

Sebastian Santiago

Disgruntled technical officials have threatened to boycott the Palarong Pambansa, a multi-sports competition for elementary and high school students, set May 3 to 9 in Tagum City, Davao del Norte.

Composed of timers, recorders, judges and line referees in the centerpiece event of athletics, the technical officials bewailed the failure of the Department of Education to pay for the services they rendered in the Association of Southeast Asian Nation School Games last December.

“We’re planning to boycott the Palarong Pambansa,” a source told the Market Monitor. “This is the second time we’re being shortchanged because in the last Palaro in Laguna, we were also paid less than what they promised us.”

Philippine Amateur Track and Field Assiociation president Philip Juico came to the officials’ rescue as he vowed to ask the DepEd for clarification.

“There is an urgent need to resolve this issue because we wouldn’t want a boycott to happen and deprive the Palaro people with expertise to supervise and officiate the games,” said Juico.

A total of 60 officials were allegedly promised P7,000 each by the DepEd to officiate some events of the ASEAN Schools Games held Nov. 29 to Dec. 7 last year. They, however have yet to receive a single centavo two months after the event.

Officials in wushu, volleyball, golf, badminton, basketball, gymnastics, swimming, table tennis, tennis, sepak takraw and pencak silat and four from the Philippine Sports Commission who served as timer and recorders also allegedly didn’t get what was due them.

Reports have it that an amount of P80 million was alloted to the event participated in by 10 countries.

Some of those in the list are PATAFA secretary-general Renato Unso, the tournament manager, assistant tournament manager Bienvenido Contapay, technical consultant Claro Pellosis, field referee Romeo Sotto, track referee Jesus Tubog, chief judge Janet Obiena and recorder Dominador Laboriante. They were allegedly asked to sign the payroll by the DepEd right after the competition.

So far, not even a single centavo was given. It can also be recalled that international chess arbiter Gene Poliarco, who served as chess’ tournament director in the Laguna Palaro, vehemently protested the DepEd’s decision not to pay him the full amount for his services.

In anger, Poliarco returned the meager amount given him.

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