DBM approves P54M budget for '06 Palaro

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has already approved the P54 million budget for the staging of the 2006 Palarong Pambansa scheduled to be held from May 7 to 13 in Naga City.

This was confirmed to The Freeman yesterday by Department of Education (DepEd) undersecretary Ramon Bacani.

The approval of the budget is courtesy of DBM secretary Rolando G. Andaya, who extended his full support to the country's largest school-based athletic competition being a Bicolano himself.

The budget allocated for the Palaro has been doubled compared to last year with PAGCOR only giving around P20 million for it.

The large chunk of the budget will go to the different regional associations for their expenses including the transportation, uniform of the delegates and food allowance.

It was also learned by The Freeman that the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) gets P2.6 million appropriation for the Palaro.

Although the ammount is not sufficient according to DepEd-VII Physical Education and School Sports chief Vivian, Andaya said the budget has been divided reasonably among the 17 regions competing in the Palaro.

Other than the approval of the budget by the DBM, Bacani is also confident that this year's edition will run smoothly because they have ample time to prepare for the multi-event spectacle.

"Last year, we only had three weeks to prepare everything in Iloilo because of some uncertainties, but this year, we had been preparing for the event for several months already, so it should be better talaga," Bacani said.