Palaro to go on; DBM okays P33M

The Palarong Pambansa, originally postponed because of lack of funds, later because of armed conflicts in Mindanao and recently faced the prospects of being cancelled because funds were not forthcoming, will finally be held as scheduled May 21-22 in Bacolod City.

The Department of Budget and Management eased the anxiety of another postponement when it released yesterday to the Department of Education, Culture and Sports the P33 million budget for this year's Palarong Pambansa.

Department of Budget and Management Secretary Benjamin Diokno said he signed the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) as early as May 2, belying reports of the Philippine Sports Commission which expressed alarm Monday over the failure of the DBM to release the funds with barely two weeks left in the Palaro.

Philippine Sports Commissioner Monico Puentevella said yesterday the fund will be distributed among the 16 participating regions to cover food allowances and cost of transportation and uniforms of athletes.

"It's all go for the Palarong Pambansa because the allotment was finally handed down just this morning," said Puentevella, who along with fellow commissioner Ricardo Garcia, supervised the RP contingent which participated in the recently-concluded Pan Pacific Games in Sydney, Australia.

Puentevella, however, clarified that the PSC was merely helping the DECS follow up the early release of the funds from the DBM, saying it was the responsibility of the latter to expedite its release.

"The money has always been in the DBM, it only needs some follow-up. It was indeed too close for comfort," said Puentevella.

Until yesterday, the provincial government of Negros Occidental was kept on the dark on how it could finish the infrastructure with barely two weeks left before the opening since it was still waiting for P13 million earmarked for the repair and rehabilitation of schools in Bacolod assigned as billeting centers for the 10,000 estimated participants from all over the country.

Negros Occidental was hastily picked to host the games when host Lanao del Norte begged off because of the heavy fighting between government troops and the MILF.

Some of the delegations are expected to start coming in by the weekend.

During the last Palaro hosted by the province, a major scandal broke out when the Provincial Graftwatch probed the alleged slipshod repair and rehabilitation of school facilities, particularly toilets and baths cum screening of the sleeping quarters of athletes.

It was discovered that two Bicol-based construction firms had cornered the awards hastily bidded out by the DECS Manila office.

There was also the parallel scandal over the emergency purchase of folding beds which were found to be overpriced and also cornered by a Pasig-based firm, some of the beds having arrived after the Palarong Pambansa.

With just less than two weeks before the big event, there could be a lot of red faces when delegations, from other provinces gripe to President Joseph Estrada about their accommodations and the inadequate preparations. -