Playing with Fire
Swan Song to PRISAA
By Gonzalo Duque
AFTER overseeing a successful edition of the national PRISAA games, we delivered our Swan Song.
Why?
We wish to let you in on our letter addressed to PRISAA member-schools.
May I please inform you that Lyceum-Northwestern University has withdrawn, effective February 14, 2013, its membership from the Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA).
This move will certainly raise some questions, for the unswerving support given by LNU and this humble servant to the PRISAA through the years had arisen from the belief that the association provided the right venue and facility for the development of our athletes into world-class sports competitors.
We had demonstrated this in the widely-acclaimed 2006 PRISAA in Region One, whose success led to my designation as co-chairman of the Games, eventually taking over as PRISAA chairman from 2008 to 2010.
This fine performance was reprised only recently when we played a major role in the hosting of 2013 PRISAA, having been held February 10-16, 2013 in Pangasinan.
Our withdrawal at this time therefore necessitates clarification, hence, this letter.
First and foremost, this move is a culmination of serious reflection I had shared with other PRISAA regional officials pertaining to the mode of choosing and the conduct of the PRISAA national leadership, which, for 23 continuous years, up to the present, has been in the hands of its present chairman, Dr. Emmanuel Y. Angeles.
Not to belittle the capabilities of Dr. Angeles, the perennial PRISAA chair, questions were nevertheless raised on his unusually prolonged stay as chairman, disallowing the rise of other qualified leaders up the PRISAA hierarchy. And worst, complaints had pointed out Dr. Angeles’ and his employee, Boy Santos’ complete control of PRISAA funds and their failure to account for expenditures.
But as an added perspective, allow me to cite certain happenings prior to our decision to withdraw the LNU membership from the PRISAA:
On February 13, Chairman Angeles castigated me over the phone, in very harsh terms and tone, supposedly for having as yet not paid our dues to the PRISAA. He said: “You disappoint me with your behavior. What you don’t know is that I am spending my own personal money in support of PRISAA.”
Taken aback, I sent him a text message about my desire to withdraw from PRISAA, adding, “Among friends, money should be the least concern and besides we can talk about this in the spirit of friendship without raising our voice and demonstrate our anger.”
Clearly, his action was reprehensible for a leader, especially done against someone who is a host to the PRISAA Games and to its delegations, to a primus inter pares, to boot.
For Dr. Angeles to get away with such an obnoxious behavior, would only embolden him more to entrench himself in the PRISAA and perhaps further provide him the chance and wherewithal to display his arrogant ways even among his peers.
So, after careful reflection I decided the following day, February 14 to submit LNU’s formal withdrawal from the PRISAA.
In addition, may I please mention certain matters relevant to the issue:
In past PRISAA games, the host province was usually granted the privilege of not paying its dues because the expected heavy financial burden it shoulders. This happened in the 2006 PRISAA games and likewise in 2010 when Cebu’s remittance due that amounted to P600, 000 was waived precisely because it was the host of the games.
So, why make an outcry now when it’s Pangasinan’s turn to avail of the non-remittance privilege for PRISAA host provinces?
May I also report that LNU will henceforth channel its resources, otherwise earmarked for the PRISAA, for its in-house sports and youth development programs, such a possible tie-up with the programs and projects of the announced Sports Development Academy to be pursued by the Pangasinan Provincial Government.
In this respect I urge my colleagues to similarly re-consider their participation in the PRISAA and to possibly look into alternatives that could better promote their plans and objectives under youth and sports development—under an atmosphere of mutual respect, civility and accountability.
I hope this would suffice to clarify the issue, hoping that it could help provide the answers to lingering queries as to whether PRISAA from the time of its revival into a major sport event for the country has really become a significant cog in the over-all machinery of youth and sports development in this country.
Thank you for your concern.
Very truly yours,
GONZALO Q. DUQUE
* * * *
Back to Dagupan….fireworks?
We saw Manny Roy at the Jed Madela Concert the other week. Manny said he was being hounded by Mayor Benjie Lim’s boys. The tires of his car were punctured twice in different places in Dagupan.
He said, smiling, that’s a sign of desperation, di ba? He assured us however he couldn’t be cowed. He’ll explode more—and more deadly—bombs kuno!
Watch out!
* * * *
Amay impanbotaw na daleg na X-Trail nen Manny onaan diad arap na JVF Hospital insae diad parking area na CSI Lucao ompapaway kuno kuay Manny ya asakitan iray BSL camp ed impandiskurso to tan si Ope Reyna ya say imbasibas to say salitan “Salat! Salat! Salat!” (Change! Change! Change!).
We heard BSL is coming out with his own blurb, “Saliw! Saliw! Saliw!” (Buy! Buy! Buy!).
In case you don’t know, many believe vote-buying is BSL’s mantra, he will sink and swim with it.
Businessman ya talaga awa, Manny?
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