FOR CEBU Provincial Sports Commission (CPSC) Executive Director Atty. Ramil P. Abing, there is no way else to go but up for Cebu Province.
Cebu Province is coming off decent stints in two multisporting meets this year, placing fifth in the Philippine National Games in Cebu last May and sixth — pending some technical issues with the medal tally — in the recent Batang Pinoy National Championships in Baguio last month.
With the good showing of its athletes in those meets, Abing said CPSC will try its best to improve on those rankings when they compete again next year.
Abing believes that one way to accomplish that mission is to make sure the team competes in more events.
“We will participate in all events and age categories in Batang Pinoy Regionals because that will determine the finalists for the national championships. And we will compete in all events in the national finals to make sure that we will reach our goal of claiming the number one spot or improving our medal tally next year,” Abing said.
Yesterday at the Governor’s Office at the Provincial Capitol, the team received its P2-million check for finishing fifth in the PNG. The check was handed personally to Cebu Governor Hilario “Jun-jun” Davide III by Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Commissioner Ramon Fernandez.
“We are very proud of you for the fifth-place in the PNG. Hopefully, next year we will be number one,” said Davide during the turnover ceremony.
Part of the P2-million purse will be used as cash incentives for the PNG medalists while the remaining amount will be used for CPSC’s grassroots training program.
The PNG gold medalists will receive P5,000 while P3,000 will be given to the silver medalists. Bronze medalists get P2,000. They are also planning to give the same amount to the Batang Pinoy National Championships medalists.
“We still have a lot of work to do in improving our sports program, especially with our batted sports, weightlifting, and archery. Hopefully, when our training center will be completed, they can train there,” Abing said, referring to the spacious lot in Barangay Sudlon where CPSC’s proposed training center will rise.
The team is optimistic that they will move up to fifth place in the revised final medal tally of the Batang Pinoy Nationals since there were some gold medals that were not counted by the PSC’s secretariat.
Should Cebu Province move up to fifth, the team will also pocket P1 million.