Politics above sports
IF
this year’s Palarong Pambansa slated on May 7-13 would not push
through in Naga, blame House Speaker Joe de Venecia for the snafu.
According to reports that has been circulating since last week,
the Honorable Speaker was fuming mad (his large ears probably
fluttering in rage) at DepEd OIC Secretary Fe Hidalgo for the
latter’s decision to award the privilege of hosting the Palaro to,
of all places, Naga City. De Venecia who ironically loves to
posture himself as having a lovely Bicolana for a wife every time
he sets foot on the land of Handiong, otherwise known as
Bicolandia, reportedly wanted the games to be held in Puerto
Princesa, a city whose mayor is a rabid political ally of Madam
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Secretary Fe Hidalgo, as we Nagueños already know, has as early as
February 22, 2006 informed Naga City Mayor Jesse M. Robredo that
the Management Committee of the Department of Education has chosen
Naga City to be the host of this year’s Palarong Pambansa.
Accordingly, on March 7, 2006, the Education Secretary formally
informed the President that “(g)iven the short preparation time
and in line with the government’s austerity program, the
Department’s Management Committee approved the recommendation of
the technical group which evaluated the alternative playing
venues, to accept the offer of Naga City to host the Palarong
Pambansa.”
She underscored in her official communication to the President
that “(t)he sports facilities in Naga City are the most ready and
would not require any major improvements.”
The Education Secretary further pointed out that with its
strategic location compared to other possible venues such as
Puerto Princesa City, holding the Palaro in Naga City would
involve the least transportation costs for the various regional
athletic delegations as a whole.
Now, Speaker de Venecia wants to throw out all those valid points
raised by Hidalgo, if not Hidalgo herself (she has yet to be
confirmed as Cabinet Secretary, remember that). What matters to
him, according to informed sources, was that the Palaro should be
held in Puerto Princesa. Or, to put it more bluntly, to any other
place except Naga, even if it would mean spending more of
taxpayers’ money. Why? Because Naga looks and acts like an
opposition territory and the Speaker can tell the President that
its city council, except perhaps for one lady member, has been
consistently rooting for GMA’s resignation since the “Hello Garci”
scandal.
Indeed, if de Venecia succeeded in throwing his weight around
(which should require a conspiracy with Malacañan to effectively
wrest away from us the honor of hosting the Palaro), there can be
no gainsaying that this administration is truly headed for
perdition because its power holders are suckers for overcharged
politics, never mind if their capricious actions unsparingly teach
our young student athletes bad lessons about unsportsmanship,
power play, patronage and influence-peddling.
