WITH THEIR recent success in the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival, the Philippine Accessibility Disability Services Inc. (Pads) dragon boat team will be getting some sort of a reward from the Cebu City government.
This after the Cebu City government, according to Cebu City Councilor Eugenio Gabuya, will be purchasing a dragon boat and a docking system floater that will be given to the team that topped the 400-meter paradragon category of the race at the Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong last Sunday.
Gabuya said the city will buy an initial two dragon boats. “One will be exclusive for the Pads and the other will be intended for anyone willing to be trained,” Gabuya said.
Aside from that, the Pads team will also have a training area after Cebu City Mayor Tommy Osmeña offered Pond A of the South Road Properties (SRP) for their use.
Pads team captain Arnold Balais welcomed this development, saying it is a big blessing for the team.
“We will be more motivated now that we won’t have to rent a boat anymore,” Balais said. “For the past six months we’ve been renting a boat for our training.”
He added that the use of Pond A at the SRP is also helpful as they won’t have to travel to the Cebu Yacht Club in Lapu-Lapu City just to practice.