by Moses BIllacura
PhilCycling vice-president for Mindanao Salvador “Jun” Paholio Jr. has been wanting to see a resolution of the leadership crisis besetting Philippine cycling in Manila.
He laments that if Manila-based leaders are in conflict, Mindanao riders and other athletes in the country will be directly affected as preparations are ongoing for the 2011 Southeast Asian Games.
For one, an unstable sports organization would mean that no sponsors will be coming in to help in the conduct of cycling races in the country, and regional cycling leaders like Paholio in Davao will not be getting the needed support and will be left to go it alone in looking for financial funding in order to give local riders the needed competitions for them to hone their skills and improve on their performance.
Without regular races, it would be entirely useless to undergo training. Just last year, Paholio lost a big supporter in Radio Mindanao Network because of management changes and that automatically stopped the Mindanao Race for Peace competition. Unfortunately, Manila-based cycling leaders were not even around to find a big sponsor to continue the noble program in Mindanao.
Philippine Sports Commission chairman Ricardo Garcia has decided never to extend financial support to the warring groups of Mayor Abraham Tolentino, recognized by the Union Cycling International, and that of former Philippine Sports Commission chairman Philip Juico, recognized by the Philippine Olympic Committee.
Paholio, as chair of the Samahang Siklista Kooperatiba Dabaw, has been a strong partner of dxDC-Radio Mindanao Network since 1997 and acted as race director for the city government of Davao-funded sports festivals.
The PSC chairman should better start looking at the provincial cycling leaders whom they can directly help because their races have been conducted regularly resulting to the development of national caliber cyclists instead of listening to Manila-based cycling leaders.
Funds should start pouring into the cities and provinces because cycling development in Mindanao deserves national funding.
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Chairman Garcia has called on National Sports Association (NSA) leaders to make their tournaments “open” to everybody.
But this has not been the case with the Philippine Amateur Swimming Association which requires participants to first become a member and pay a membership fee. If you don’t do it, you can’t compete in PASA-sanctioned tournaments.
PASA regional director Deedee Gonzales said that they have not received any advisory from Manila of any changes and so they stick to the policy.
I perfectly understand Deedee’s stand. She is just following orders.
But I know of many NSA leaders in Davao who do not collect membership fees simply because they strongly believe that their sports should be “open” to all.
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Happy birthday to cousins Aldrin Sempio, Charisse Babol, long-time friends Richard Rosario, Alixandre Rodriguez, Anelyn Adornado, Kitty Abrau, college buddy Schmid Valero Apat, Ciara Mellejor and to our director of sales in Edge Davao, ate Chay. Cheers!
