ILOILO – The province’s participation in the 2019 Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association (WVRAA) Meet in Roxas City from Feb. 13 to 17 will push through.
The provincial government managed to raise P14 million to fund its contingent – P6-million short of the projected budget of P20,379,000 million by the Iloilo School Board.
Iloilo’s contingent includes 382 athletes and 124 coaches, assistant coaches and chaperones.
According to Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr., the provincial government and Department of Education (DepEd) – Division of Iloilo helped one another find funds.
The province’s WVRAA participation was recently put in doubt. The Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s appropriations committee under Provincial Board member Dorothy Paes has yet to finish its hearings on the 2019 P3.7-billion budget of the provincial government.
“Kon indi ko pagpangitaan sang medyos together with DepEd madula gid ang participation sang Iloilo sa WVRAA tungod waay kwarta i-gasto,” said Defensor.
Until the Provincial Board wraps up its budget deliberations and approve the province’s budget, it could not tackle other matters as stipulated in the Local Government Code; it could not therefore issue an authority to Defensor to sign a memorandum of agreement with DepEd which is needed for the release of the P20,379,000 million for Iloilo’s WVRAA participation.
“Because our WVRAA budget was reduce to P14 million, there certain things our athletes would be denied like sports equipment and supplies, parade shoes and medicines, among other things,” said Defensor./PN
