Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Iloilo Governor Gives Go Signal

for GAB, Liga to Sign MOA


By Alex P. Vidal


Everything but the signing of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the Makati-based Games and Amusement Board (GAB) and the Liga ng mga Barangay (league of villages) Iloilo Chapter as far as the putting up of the GAB extension office in Iloilo City, part of Western Visayas, is concerned.
This became known after Iloilo Gov. Niel D. Tupas, Sr., GAB Commissioner Alex Paglumotan, and Liga President and Iloilo Board Member Angel Briones emerged from a conference at the Capitol Office, Iloilo City last May 29. They discussed the mechanism of the proposed office that will issue license and regulate professional sports in Panay and Guimaras islands.

LONG DISTANCE

During the meeting, Tupas, a tennis buff, also talked briefly with GAB Chairman Eric Buhain in a long distance call. Governor Tupas assured the GAB chief that Iloilo has the complete facilities to accommodate the GAB extension office and other sports offices.
“I’m very thankful (that you have chosen Iloilo for the extension office). We have to facilitate (the preparation of pertinent papers)”, Tupas, 73, told Buhain.
Tupas gave Briones and Paglumotan the go signal to iron out some kinks and enter into a MOA signing soon “in order to define the parameters and responsibilities of the Iloilo provincial government and GAB.”
They also agreed that the MOA, to be drafted by the GAB, will be reviewed and fine-tuned by the Iloilo provincial legal office and to be signed between Buhain and the league board of directors led by Briones.
“Once the MOA has been signed, we will immediately schedule the inauguration tentatively in the third week of June. Chairman Buhain will come over for the ceremony,” Paglumotan said.

THE LOCATION

The proposed GAB extension office is located in Brgy. Magsaysay, La Paz district, Iloilo City at the back of the Iloilo Sports Complex.
It will be housed in the P2-million Liga building erected using the countrywide development fund (CDF) of Ilonggo Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago who grew up in La Paz.
Briones said he spent additional P200,000 for the filling materials around the building which stands near a small river and located a stone throw away from the Iloilo mini-purpose gymnasium, the venue of the 1997 1st LGUlympics boxing tournament.
This will be the second GAB sub-office in Region 6. In 2001, the GAB then under Chairman Eduardo Villanueva put up its first extension office in Bacolod City.
GAB, has other local offices in Cebu City and Cagayan de Oro City. /MP mailto:madyaas_pen@yahoo.com






























No comments: