BY HERBERT VEGO
ILOILO City – The much-vaunted softball girls’ team of Zarraga, Iloilo, which is supposed to represent the Philippines and the entire Asia-Pacific region in the ongoing Little League Softball World Series in Portland, Oregon, USA, forfeited their first two games, leaving only two more games to compete in.
In an e-mail sent to this writer, correspondent Cristina Rojas wrote that the Philippine team had not showed up at the Alpenrose Stadium for its scheduled matches against USA-West of California and USA East of New Jersey August 7 (Thursday) and August 8 (Friday), respectively, in effect yielding the “win” to the said teams.
When told about it, Iloilo’s Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. expressed surprised, knowing that the Philippine team, with Dr. Myrna Castillo (division superintendent of schools of the province) as delegation head, had left for Oregon Tuesday (August 5) yet.
He expressed sadness, considering that the provincial government had donated P200,000 for the trip of the athletes, coaches and other unidentified “hangers-on.”
On second thought, he suspected delay in their arrival for whatever glitches.
The governor would have approved a bigger donation, but this was turned down by the Commission on Audit because the Little League is privately-organized.
The Philippine team, consisting of 11 to 12 years old school girls from Zarraga town, had gained the right to represent the Asia-Pacific region when they emerged champion in the Asia-Pacific Regional Championships in Angeles City in April 2014, besting 51 other softball teams from 16 countries.
Assuming the Ilonggo “softbelles” are now in Portland, then they would play against Canada today (Saturday night in the United States) and against USA-Southwest (Louisiana) on Monday (Aug. 11).
However, even if they win both games, they would have no chance to qualify for the semi-finals on Tuesday./PN
