Patafa officials to boycott Palaro

MANILA, Philippines - Technical officials of the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association are planning to boycott the Palarong Pambansa after the Department of Education’s alleged failure to pay the services they rendered in the ASEAN Schools Games late last year.

“We may not officiate for them anymore in the Palarong Pambansa,” a source told select mediamen yesterday in Filipino. “In the last Palarong Pambansa in Laguna, we were surprised that we weren’t given what we were supposed to receive.

“We received only honorarium and food allowance, we shouldered our own accomodation and transportation expenses for us to make it to the venue,” the same source added.

The source was one of the 60 who were allegedly promised to be paid P7,000 each by the DepEd for their services in the ASEAN Schools Games held Nov. 29 to Dec. 7 last year but haven’t received a single centavo two months after the event.

Officials in wushu, volleyball, golf, badminton, basketball, gymnastics, swimming, table tennis, tennis, sepak takraw and pencak silat also allegedly didn’t get paid in the event.

Reports showed P80 million was alloted to the event participated in by 10 countries.

“We haven’t received the payment we deserve since the event and it’s been two months now,” said the source.

Some of the top officials in the list are PATAFA secretary-general Renato Unso, who served as tournament manager, assistant tournament manager Bienvenido Contapay, technical consultant Claro Pellosis, field referee Romeo Sotto, track referee Jesus Tubog, chief judge Janet Obiena and recorder Dominador Laboriante.

The group was allegedly asked to sign the payroll by the DepEd right after the competition, which drew top student athletes from Southeast Asia.

It can also be recalled that international chess arbiter Gene Poliarco, chess tournament director in the Laguna Palaro last year, complained over DepEd’s sudden decision not to pay him the full amount for his services.

In disgust, Poliarco didn’t accept the meager amount DepEd was paying him.