By Alex P. Vidal
Games and Amusement Board (GAB) Commissioner Alex A. Paglumotan has exhorted leaders of professional sports in Iloilo City to organize as a federation so they can have a set of officials that will be accredited by GAB.
In a dialogue with local professional sports leaders held at the Robinson’s mall recently, Paglumotan, former vice mayor of Bacolod City, said the federation should be composed of representatives of all professional sports in the city and province of Iloilo for proper recognition and accreditation by the Makati – based supervising and regulatory agency headed as chairman by Eric Buhain.
POTENTIAL ATHLETES
”Once you have been organized, it will be easy for you to scout for potential and quality athletes waiting to turn professionals which are our gateway to the world,” said the Ilonggo GAB commissioner for administration and finance. He admitted, “many sports enthusiasts in Iloilo don’t know how to tap connections in the national level. They lack the mechanism on how to seek help from the government.
Paglumotan stressed that the demarcation line between professional and amateur sports is cash prize saying “it is only in the aspect of sports where we can generate harmony and unity regardless of political affiliations.”
PRIZE
Professional athletes like billiard players, boxers, Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) players, among other contact sports can receive cash prizes while amateur athletes who don the national flag are paid only through stipend from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) where Buhain was former chairman.
Paglumotan said he and Buhain have agreed “to bring the government to the hearts and minds of the people” the reason why he has been actively disseminating the goals and objectives of the Buhain administration personally in various areas outside Metro Manila.
“Chairman Buhain is very supportive of our programs (of going to the people instead of the people going to the government) and he is always positive that we can make a difference in our desire to improve and enhance professional sports in the country,” Paglumotan said.
PROBLEMS
“Among the problems being faced by sports enthusiasts outside Metro Manila are: economic, lack of interest, lack of moral support from executives of political territories’, he pointed out.
“Sports is a good ambassador of goodwill and unity,” Paglumotan enthused. “Under the leadership of Chairman Buhain, we will see to it that there will be no more first class and second class; we threat each other as equals and partners in undertaking to assist and support all your future programs."
Paglumotan concluded: “Let us organize, reorganize, redo and review our past performances and GAB will be there to support and induct all sports federations in the country.” /MP
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