PSC saves Bacolod’s Aspac softball stint
By June Navarro
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:34:00 07/08/2008
MANILA, Philippines—It took a quick and timely intervention by the Philippine Sports Commission on Monday to save the participation of three RP teams in the Asia-Pacific girls’ softball championships in Guangzhou, China.
PSC chair William Ramirez had to rush to Guangzhou Monday morning to assure organizers that the tournament entrance fee totaling $9,000 (P405,000) for the three teams from Bacolod will be paid Tuesday.
A reliable source said organizers had decided to stop the scheduled games of the three teams Monday and ordered the immediate deportation of the players for failing to pay the required tournament fee.
The three Bacolod-based teams all came from Domingo National High School and were supposed to see action in the major league (11-12 years old), junior league (13-14 years old) and senior league (14-16 years old).
The other team, composed of Adamson University players, is playing in the big league (16-18) under Team Manila. The City of Manila is paying for the team’s registration fee.
With the PSC assurance, organizers allowed the major and junior league teams from Bacolod to see action. Bacolod routed Guam, 11-0, in the major league and blanked the latter, 3-0, in the junior league.
The Manila squad was also impressive in an 18-0, five-inning rout of Indonesia at the start of their best-of-five series for the title.
The source said the PSC, which had already paid for the plane tickets of the delegation, decided to take care of the registration fees pending the release of funds from Bacolod City.
Adamson vice president Fr. Max Rendon and athletic director Roel Dela Rosa were scheduled to fly to Guangzhou Monday night carrying the funds required by organizers.
Another source said Bacolod City Mayor Evelio “Bing” Leonardia had earlier committed to take care of the registration fees of the teams. But Leonardia failed to pay the amount since he had yet to arrive from the United States when the teams left Manila last week.
“Officially speaking, Bacolod City is not involved with the teams. But we always tried to help depending on how much we can afford,” clarified Leonardia Monday.
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