Budget for Dagupan athletes hiked, not reduced
2015 REGION 1 ATHLETIC MEET
MAYOR Belen Fernandez has denied that the funds for athletes competing in the Ilocos Region Athletic Association (IRAA) meet slated in Manaoag town on Feb. 15-21 has been reduced, saying it was, in fact, increased by almost P1 million.
She quickly pointed, however, that the additional budget should be used exclusively for the training of athletes.
Fernandez reacted to an item in The Punch that tended to make it appear that the budget of the Dagupan delegation competing in the IRAA meet has been reduced to P1,642,200 from P2,478,200, quoting Education Program Supervisor Edilberto Abalos of the City Schools Division.
A budget for the delegation submitted by Abalos to the city government coursed through City Schools Superintendent Gloria Torres totals P2, 499,540. The mayor, however, made available another fund close to P1 million to be used exclusively for the training of athletes.
The budget for training in the estimate provided by Abalos was P622,800 for a 30-day training. This will also take care of the allowances of 287 athletes, 44 coaches/chaperons and 15 trainers.
“But I want a longer training for athletes so that they will really bring home the medals, especially the gold to the city,” said Fernandez, adding that she wants Dagupan athletes “to continue to train even after the IRAA meet and if possible till 2016,”
This, according to the mayor, was the reason why she approved additional funds for training.
After the IRAA meet, topnotch athletes of Dagupan will join the other IRAA winners to form Region 1 team for the Palarong Pambansa.
Fernandez said she will see to it that the Dagupan athletes will get all the incentives they need in their search for glory in the IRAA and in all other sports competitions that they would be joining.
Meanwhile, DepED Education Program Supervisor Edilberto R. Abalos said additional funds will serve as an inspiration to the athletes to strive harder to win medals in the competition even as he assured that each of the athletes and coaches in the delegation will be entitled to equal and same per capita expenditure. (LVM with report from Phil Celi)
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