No 2024 budget, no salaries for training coaches – Sim
UNTIL the 2024 annual budget of Dagupan is passed, the Dagupan City Sports Office (DCSO)is in a quandary how it will pay the salaries of sports coaches tapped by the city government to prepare athletes competing in the Region 1 Athletic Association Meet slated in Ilocos Norte from April 22 to 27.
In its effort to bounce back to the top in the R1AA Meet after a fifth place finish last year, The DCSO hired coaches for athletics, arnis, lawn tennis, badminton, swimming and other sports to prepare the city’s Dagupan athletes to be in top condition, said Finnela Sim, Dagupan City Sports Officer IV.
Dagupan was back-to-back champion in the R1AA Meet in 2017 and 2018, thanks to the training provided by these coaches whom the city hired to train the athletes.
“If we want a better result in the R1AA Meet and any upcoming regional and national athletes, we should keep the current coaches that we have,” Sim said.
She said that in the event that the city will continue to operate under a reenacted budget, “we will be compelled to stop paying all the coaches and treat them as mere volunteers.”
Some 500 athletes will be affected if the coaches are withdrawn, she added.
“At least the uniform, transportation expenses and meals of athletes going to R1AA Meet will be bankrolled by the Special Education Fund which was among the items included in the Annual Investment Program earlier approved by the Sanggunian,” Sim said.
The training and expenses for coaches are not included in the AIP passed by the Sanggunian, she clarified.
At the same time, Sim said that they have temporarily closed the Dagupan City Poolsite to the public because there are only two filters functioning.
Dagupan swimmers training for R1AA use the swimming pool for just two to three hours a day, not throughout the day or 24 hours unlike before.
She said with the passage of the 2024 budget, Mayor Belen Fernandez can finally order the repair and rehabilitation of the swimming pool. (Leonardo Micua)
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
