Toledo to miss CVIRAA anew

Toledo City will again be missing the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) meet even as Lapu-Lapu City stages a comeback in the regional meet on March 4-10 in Dumaguete City.

Mayor Arlene Zambo said the local government of Toledo City is very much willing to support the Department of Education in her locality if division officials are willing to fight for it.

Mayor Zambo said there is an internal problem hounding officials within the DepEd Toledo City division.

"It's the consensus of everybody at the school board, not to send a delegation for the regional meet only for the purpose of participation. It's very discouraging. DepEd (Toledo) is always not prepared. We spend half a million for travel, and maski bronze wala. Ing-ana nalang kanunay, mayg dato mi. Ang among pag-participate, walay value," Zambo said.

"Ang DepEd diri gubot. Walay klaro ang leadership. Dili man pud pwedeng manghilabot ko nila and even sa CVIRAA, kay ila man na," said Zambo, explaining that if only division officials have the initiative and are hard working, the local government of Toledo will be willing to support them out.

"Pero kung mi-insist pa sila and they will fight for it na ready sila, nay mga athlete diha na pwede na, then we will support them. Why not, di ba? I hope others will understand. Wala biya gipamunit ang kwarta. We have other priorities," Zambo ended.

Meanwhile, the division of Lapu-Lapu City division will be sending an athletic delegation to the CVIRAA after missing the 2006 edition.

Department of Education RO VII PESS chief Dr. Vivian Giñete confirmed the participation of Lapu-Lapu City this year, bringing to 15, the total number of teams, which will be challenging perennial champion Cebu City.

Lapu-Lapu City, which missed last years staging sent a representative to Oriental Negros during DepEd's inspection of playing venues and billeting quarters over the weekend.

In related development, DepEd supervisor Danilo Villadolid said the track and field competition in the CVIRAA meet will be played in the municipality of Sibulan because the track oval in Dumaguete City can not be used because it is undergoing reconstruction.

Villadolid said the installation of rubber in the track will be finished this month but it needs around three months for the rubber to set up.

"So, kinahanglan gyud ang mga track and field athletes nga mag-practice pagdagan sa yuta," Villadolid said.