by Moses Billacura
April Marie Dayap was recently elected councilor representing the second district of Davao City.
If you can recall, when she was still Sangguniang Kabataan president and youth representative to the City Council, Ms.Dayap worked closely with then Philippine Sports Commission chairman William “Butch” Ramirez and outgoing Councilor Peter Lavina, who is also the president of the Davao Sports Council Inc., for the creation of the Davao City Sports Commission.
The planned creation resulted to the holding of public hearings at the Council conference room and meetings at the Department of Education regional office then hosted by regional director Dr. Diamar Kadon.
Unfortunately, the plan ended as a plan.
Fortunately, there is still hope now that Dayap will be joining soon the City Council.
I hope that the Dayap Commission will be formed in order to push through with the creation of the Commission that will be tasked to provide a genuine direction for amateur sports development in the city.
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My heart was crushed after learning that Jonash Melchor, a multi-titled triple jump specialist, was having a very hard time raising money in order for him to compete in the Milo national rack and field open championships in Manila last month.
Melchor of Brgy. Wangan, Calinan made known his predicament to sportswriters during last week’s regular Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) Forum at the Tower Inn.
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The unfortunate Melchor incident could have been avoided if preparations had been made early.
I cannot not blame Holy Cross of Davao College sports coordinator Abraham Verdeprado because he has no control over the school’s sports funds. It has to get approval. You see, sports fees are used for school-related events like the Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) Championships, Davao Association of Colleges and Schools (DACS) Meets and National University Games.
A small college like Holy Cross normally has a small sports budget.
But if they were able to prepare early, I am sure a mere registration fee of P350 could have been provided by the school. The R.V.M. Sisters, who handle the financial management, could have approved the request had they been informed early despite the fact that preparations for the National Open Championships should fall under the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (Patafa) Davao Chapter office.
Fare, accommodation and registration fee expenses are the basic things needed by an athlete, aside of course from the expenses incurred during his training like food, multi-vitamins and equipment.
A student-athlete competing in school-related events is easily funded by their sports fees because they are intended for that purpose.
I know that the Patafa Davao Chapter office has no funds, but I do not believe that it has to remain that way.
Take a close look at some of the local National Sports Associations (NSAs) in Davao City. They raise their own funds, market their sport, upgrade their coaches and players, and fully utilize the help of the sports media for their sport to grow.
Jonash Melchor and other track and field athletes deserve better treatment. The best, in fact.
