SP COMMITTEE ON YOUTH AND SPORTS INVESTIGATES PERFORMANCE OF

LU DIVISION DURING THE R1AA MEET

By:

JTF, GPC

Based on a draft resolution submitted by Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member Reynaldo

Mosuela and calendared on May 24, 2018 Session of the SP requesting for a legislative
investigation pertaining to the performance of the Division of La Union during the Region 1
Athletic Association (R1AA) Meet on February 2018 and to determine if the Php 9 Million allotted
budget was judiciously spent for the division’s bid to the annual sports competition in the region
and other problems encountered thereto in aid of legislation.

The Division of La Union ranked no. 9 in the over-all standing out of the fourteen 14
divisions in Region 1 during the R1AA meet. The medal earnings is as follows; for Elementary
Level, 5 Gold Medals from Athletics, Swimming, Tennis; 4 Silver Medals from Athletics,
Gymnastics, Taekwondo; 10 Bronze Medals from Athletics, Gymnastics, Swimming,
Taekwondo and Softball; for Secondary Level, 15 Gold Medals from Athletics, Archery,
Wrestling, Boxing, Taekwondo, Wushu; 16 Silver Medals from Athletics, Archery, Billiards,
Gymnastics, Wrestling, Boxing, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis; 27 Bronze Medals from
Archery, Gymnastics, Wrestling, Wushu, boxing, Swimming, Taekwondo Table Tennis and
Arnis; for SPED, 6 Gold Medals from Swimming and Athletics; 12 Silver Medals from
Swimming, Bocce and Athletics and 11 Bronze Medals from Swimming and Athletics.

The LU division was composed of 710-person delegation excluding DepEd officials. For
elementary, 196 athletes; 13 coaches/co-coaches; 5 chaperons trainers and 26 trainers. For
secondary, 292 athletes; 51 coaches/co-coaches; 8 chaperons trainers and 37 trainers. For SPED,
67 athletes and 15 coaches.

The Division of La Union fared a little better for the last two years, ranking 5 th in 2017
with Php 9,034,779.00 budget and 4th in 2016 with Php 9.417.397.00 budget. For R1AA in
Alaminos City last February 2018, the total budget was Php 9,143,966 where an additional
allocation for training in the amount of Php 1,684,477.00 was released in December 2017. Figures
were sourced from the Provincial Budget Office.

The SP Committee on Youth and Sports, currently chaired by SPM Erwina C. Eriguel,
President of the Liga ng mga Barangay-La Union Chapter conducted a 2-part Joint Committee
Hearing pertaining to the issue on June 7 and June 21, 2018 at the Cong. Eufranio C. Eriguel Hall
of the Speaker Pro Tempore Francisco I. Ortega Provincial Legislative Building and Session Hall.

A number of reasons for the low performance of La Union Division during the R1AA meet
surfaced during the discussion in the Committee Hearing, that include: short training period of
athletes; sudden transition of managing officials in the middle of the training period; selection
process of athletes to compete in the R1AA meet was shortened from division meet to the
provincial meet then to the R1AA meet; PE teachers were made as coaches/trainers without
adequate training and related experiences with the sport they handled; budget was not fully utilized
for the training and purchase of equipment since it was just released months before the meet. But
above all, the members of the Joint Committees were one in agreement that the delegation of the
La Union Division should not just join the said sports event for participation only. Athletes should
not only be trained and well-prepared physically and psychologically but they must have obtained
a record at par with the competitive standard before they be allowed to compete in the said sports
event.

Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member Reynaldo M. Mosuela said that athletes who are not
well-trained and well-prepared are akin to soldiers who do not have the necessary trainings and
armor and are doomed to die in the battlefield. Athletes will have low morale as less likely
motivated to perform their best when pitted with other athletes who are well-taken cared of, well-
trained and well-prepared.

Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member Paolo Ortega of the PCL shared to the committee that
there are practical and creative ways to improve sports’ participation and involvement of youth
and residents in the province but has to start with a direction. He underscored the need for the
PGLU to finalize the Provincial Sports Development Plan which will serve as the direction of
sports development in the province. It will include those who are in-school youth, out-of-school
youth, differently-abled persons, higher age categories even community sports.

As of the writing of this article, there is no written official report from DepEd La Union
Division furnished the Committee neither the Sangguniang Panlalawigan as to the details of the
disbursement of the allocated budget of LU Division during the R1AA meet and a brief analysis
of the performance of the delegation.

SPM Erwina C. Eriguel will render the Joint Committee Report with high hopes that the
recommendations thereat will be given due priority by the current administration as she turns-over
the chairmanship of the committee to the incoming SK Provincial Federation President, Hon.
Alyssa Kristine Sibuma of Aringay, La Union.