City Council to sports group: Use venue for free but…

CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City Council has allowed the Talisay Basketball Association to use the city sports complex in Barangay Poblacion for free during weekends and holidays.

However, the council said the privilege may be waived in favor of important government, religious and other sectoral events.

In 1998, then Sangguniang Bayan of the municipality of Talisay passed Resolution Number 98-01, authored by then Councilor Francisco Seville Jr., allowing the association to use the sports venue free of charge to show the local government support to its aim of building and maintaining good health among constituents.

Incumbent city councilor and vice-chairman of the City Sports Commission Danilo Caballero, however, said no resolution was made to that effect after the municipality of Talisay was converted into a city in 2000.

A resolution, which was recently approved by the council, is now asking Mayor Johnny De los Reyes to allow TBA to use the facility for free, although the mayor has yet to receive a copy of the request.

TBA is an association of middle aged basketball enthusiasts from the different barangays of then municipality and now Talisay City that is still functioning at present.

The city sports complex is charging TBA a minimum fee of P500 per hour, saying it will defray the cost of electricity and other maintenance.

But in a separate interview, a barangay official of Poblacion, who refused to be named, told The FREEMAN the city government is charging TBA even if they are not using electricity.

"Nahimo gyud ning isyu diri kay nganong pabayron man sila nga wala man sila migamit og kuryente," the official said, adding that the TBA used to benefit from the free use of the government facility during the previous administration.

The official revealed that TBA only uses the complex every weekend and holidays from 4 a.m. to 9 a.m.  (FREEMAN)