BASKETBOL SA IRIGA, KADTO SAKA NGOWAN

Ku kapanahunan ko, nag-boro basketball man akong gatingay. Mala kadtong muya ta kadakul ko para-sponsor sa basketball lalo na pag summer. Kin minsan ngani ana usad na gab-i darwang liga ana pinag-ngangayamnan namo. Kada fiesta kana usad na baryo, pirmi ng agko inter-baranngay o kaya inter-league basketball tournament. Dawa ngani kin minsan oda kami uniform ta oda manager. Ana pig-gibo namo pinag-susuratan sana namo sa number so puting bado. I had a lot of fun reminiscing those memorable moments. Ahhhh, if I could only go back in time, I want to be young and active again. It makes me sad and depressed looking at myself - overweight, gray hairs, gout-stricken.

Now to a more serious note. Eventhough I haven't played basketball for a long time, it makes me feel sad and frustrated that it seems Basketball is at standstill in Iriga. There's not a lot of exceptional players that are coming out from the new breed of players. We used to have the Magistrado brothers (Jojo and Oboy), Otab...etc. (I can't remember most of them). If we take a closer look and evaluate why not a lot of Irigueno players are excelling in basketball we might point our fingers to the BAP or is it bnow SBP?. Anyway, I believe that Basketball Association of the Philippines are responsible for the dimished skills of Basketball players in Iriga. Why?. Not a lot of leagues and tournaments are being held because of the cost of referees. As you know BAP are responsible for training and providing referees to most leagues/tournaments. Each referee cost about P300-400/per game. Now I heard they use 3 referees in a game, that means each game will cost you P900-1200/game. And that is not all you also have to pay BAP for the scorer and timekeeper which will bring your bill to about P1,800/game. In a regular league, there are at least 4 games /night. Multiply it with P1,800, that is equal toP7,200.00/night. And again that is not all!!! You have to provide them with food/snacks and after game beer.

In a regular tournament with for example 7 teams (only 1 division), it will cost you at P100,000. plus you also have to buy trophies and cash prizes.The cost of holding tournaments prevent private persons to sponsor Basketball tournaments. Now, because of this tournaments are only held during fiestas and a Iriga City government sponsored tournaments in summer.

From what I am heard, Any Sanggguniang Kabataan in any Baranngay cannot sponsor any Basketball tournament if they don't let BAP officiate it. Meaning they cannot hire non-BAP member referees which cost about half of what BAP charges (P200/game), to officiate the tournament. You know what will happen if SK insists on not hiring BAP referees?....BAP will notify DILG and in turn DILG won't release the funds to the SK.

That is how powerful BAP became, they now have the power to ask /tell DILG not to release trhe funds to SK even for a legitimate government program using government money. Ana una ko ana gov't nag-ta-transact business with people that can provide the best value of the peoples money in terms of the project. Di ko isi if I making any sense right now, pagal na kaya ako.

Hopefully this policy will change para mas dakol ana mag-sponsor sa mga tournaments sa iriga, para ma-engganyo ana mga jovenes na mag-involve lalo sa sports. This will prevent them from getting hooked to drugs and any other harmful vices.