Parents will have final say on restaging of Palaro

In the end, it won’t be the Philippine Sports Commission, the province of Lanao del Norte or the management commission of the Palarong Pambansa that will decide whether or not this year’s student games will go on as scheduled on May 4 to 11 in Tubod.

It will be the parents of the thousands of elementary and high school athletes from across the nation who will have the final say. And with the alarmingly unstable peace and order situation in Mindanao, the answer is tipped to be a big NO.

With the recent spate of bombings down south, particularly the one that rocked the Davao City International Airport and claimed at least 20 lives, it’s not going to be a wise, welcome decision for the PSC, the government’s funding arm in sports, to push through with Palaro in Tubod.

"I think the parents won’t let their kids go," a PSC official said after radio and television stations reported yesterday afternoon of another bloody encounter between government and rebel troops in the once sleepy Brgy. Boalan right in Tubod.

Chairman Eric Buhain of the PSC the other day said he’s not even thinking of a postponement, hoping that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front would heed their call for a declaration that would ensure the safety of the more than 8,000 athletes and officials.

And if the MILF heeds the call, to be anchored on presidential adviser on peace process Eduardo Ermita, can it be taken as a guarantee that other rebel groups won’t try to disrupt the games, endanger the lives of the participants, and leave sports and local official red-faced?

This scenario, sources said, is quite enough to put the PSC or the Dimaporos of Lanao del Norte — Governor Imelda and Congressman Bobby — in a bind on whether to call for a postponement, give up the hosting, at least for this year, or look for a new venue.

Because if they don’t, the parents will.

As it is, those capable of taking over as hosts this year are Bacolod City, the site of the 2000 Palaro or Naga City, the venue of last year’s Palaro. Manila, with its existing venues and facilities, also looms as a strong candidate–if and when the need arises.

Tubod, which boasts the presence of the P500-million Mindanao Sports and Civic Center, was already denied a chance to host the Palaro thrice — the first in 1998, then in 2000 and 2002 — either because of budget constraints or peace and order problems.