GMA cites low-budget games

TUBOD, Lanao del Norte – The first Mindanao Friendship Games is a perfect example on how to run a mass-based regional competition on a limited budget.

This was the observation of President Arroyo last Sunday as she urged the four other regional clusters – the National Capital Region, Southern Luzon, Northern Luzon and the Visayas – to do the same.

The four-day sportsfest, organized by Gov. Imelda Dimaporo, cost only P8 million – P5 million from host Lanao de Norte and P3 million from the Philippine Sports Commission under chairman Carlos Tuason.

"Now, if you hold it in the other four regional clusters, you will spend about P40 million which is less than the P120 million we are spending on the Palarong Pambansa," said the President during the opening ceremony at the Mindanao Civic Center.

President Arroyo, however, did not say if the Palarong Pambansa, cancelled this year due to budgetary problems, would be scrapped for good.

"We want the Palarong Pambansa to stay because it’s an essential part of our grassroots development program. But it’s the President who has the final say on this," said Tuason, accompanied here by commissioners Ritchie Garcia, Butch Ramirez and Cynthia Carrion.