Sports sector included in Baguio’s stimulus package

May 17, 2020 Metro BLISTT

BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Benjamin Magalong admitted on Monday the need to also help those from the sports sector, who were forced out of their work due to the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
“While we have programs to people from the different arts and the media, we might have neglected those coming from sports,” Magalong during the regular sessions.
Magalong asked Sangguniang Kabataan president councilor Levy Lloyd Orcales to lead intervention measures that will benefit coaches, trainers, and even referees who are now forced out of their works due to the suspension of all sports activities.
Magalong said they are looking at a PHP100-million stimulus package which can be augmented by the same amount to help the arts, the media, and sports sectors as well as small businesses.
“It is not enough but then we will start with that and hopefully, we can increase the amount,” he said. Orcales has manifested during Monday’s session that there should be a program to help out people from the sports community.
“The mayor (Magalong) and the vice mayor (Faustino Olowan) had already instructed me to assist in the drafting and submission of a plan for our sports in the city especially those who will lose income due to cancellation of all sports events,” Orcales said.
Orcales, who chairs the city council committee on sports, said that they need to get suggestions from the sports sector for them to come out with means to help not just during the ECQ but a recovery plan.
“So we are expecting our colleagues in the sports field to give us suggestions,” Orcales said.
In a letter to the city council also Monday, basketball referees from the various basketball referee organizations in the city sought for assistance due to the ECQ.
“We have been out of work since the start of the Luzon ECQ due to the pandemic of the Covid- 19 and our savings have been stretched and reached the best of our needs,” the letter said.
Signed by referees coming from the Samahang Basketbolista ng Pilipinas, the Basketball Referees of the Philippines, among others, they said that the “workers” are on a “no work, no games, no pay” status.
Referees representative and coordinator Bartolome Empleo said that all events have been canceled that has rendered all referees jobless since the start of the ECQ last March 17.
The Baguio-Benguet Educational Athletic League (BBEAL) has also canceled events in its supposed 10-event second semester topped by volleyball.
Another event that they should have officiated, the Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association (CARAA) meet that Baguio was supposed to host last February has been canceled.
Philippine Volleyball Federation-Cordillera general secretary Danilo Cong-o of the University of the Cordilleras (UC) said that they need also to come out with plans to help out members of the association especially referees who were forced out of their supposed officiating of volleyball games.
Magalong said that the future of all events that could gather crowds, including sports competitions, are in limbo for fear of the spread of the virus that has already infected more than 11,000 Filipinos.
He said that even if Baguio will be downgraded to a general community quarantine on May 16, sports and crowd-drawing events will be not be held any time soon.
PNA/Pigeon Lobien/ABN