Cebu Provincial Sports Commission officials pose with Cebu Province athletes who received cash incentives for winning gold medals in the Batang Pinoy National Finals 2016 in this file photo. With higher budget allocation, the province is expected to be a force to reckon with in major sports tournaments. this year.
The Cebu provincial government has allocated a bigger budget for sports for 2018 to bankroll Cebu Provincial Sports Commission’s (CPSC) projects for this year.
The CPSC received a P35-million budget for 2018 acccording to its executive director Atty. Ramil Abing. The amount will be used to further strengthen the province’s grassroots programs, conduct trainings for local coaches and trainers, provide sufficient sporting equipment to towns and cities and also support major sporting events that will happen in Cebu this year, Abing said.
The 2018 budget is P10-million bigger than last year’s P25-million allocation. According to Abing, the increased budget will be sourced out from their consolidated funds and the funds coming from the Governor’s Office. Although much higher than last year’s, the 2018 budget is only 1.6 percent of the P4.5 billion Capitol has allocated this year.
Part of the budget will finance CPSC’s two major sporting events this year — the Inaugural Governor’s Cup Volleyball Tournament and the second Governor’s Cup Cebu Province Inter-Cities/Municipalities Basketball Tournament (see separate story).
Cebu Province will also take part in the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (Cviraa) this February in Bohol, the Palarong Pambansa in April in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, and the Batang Pinoy National Finals later this year. Part of the budget will be used to train its athletes for the above-mentioned meets.
Cebu Province had a productive outing last year in terms of participation in various tournaments. It finished second in the Cviraa behind Cebu City when the City of Naga hosted the meet with 43 gold, 46 silver, and 47 bronze medals. It was a huge improvement from its fourth place finish in 2016.
The province also placed third in the 2017 Batang Pinoy Visayas Games in Dumaguete City with a 39-37-44 (gold-silver-bronze) tally behind host Dumaguete City and champion, Cebu City.
The CPSC also allocated P600,000 to continue its year-long training program at the Sisters of Mary School Boystown in Minglanilla town, south Cebu. CPSC conducts free regular training there every weekend in various sports.
“Last year we were able to visit a lot of towns and cities around Cebu and provide the training and equipment to develop their athletes. Next week we will go to Pilar in Camotes Island to conduct another training and also give the local athletes sports equipment,” added Abing.
Abing also announced that the province is also allocating funds for various major sporting events that will be held in Cebu including its co-hosting of the Philippine National Games (PNG) with Cebu City this April and the Regent Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championships on August 5 at the Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa.