PABA begs off as host of Asian meet

The economic crunch gripping the country today has forced the Philippine Amateur Baseball Association to beg off from hosting the Asian Baseball Championship originally scheduled next March at the Rizal Ballpark.

Hector Navasero, PABA president, said several factors were considered in making the decision, particularly the lack of funds and problems on the security and safety of more than a hundred athletes and officials from five foreign countries.

"We can’t raise the $300,000 needed to stage the event since the PSC can’t help us in this time of crisis. We were also worried about the security of the visiting athletes and officials," said Navasero.

The baseball chief said he has informed the Baseball Federation of Asia of their decision and, this early, the Asian baseball body is looking for a new host country for the event scheduled to start March 29.

"But it’s not really the money. Also weighing heavily in the decision was the country’s unstable condition. We have the impeachment case against President Estrada, the rallies and demonstrations on the streets and others," Navasero told The STAR over the phone.

"Overall, medyo magulo talaga ang situation dito sa atin. And that’s what we told the BFA. Maybe in the future, we can host the event… when the government is more stable and when the economy is flourishing," he said. "Mahirap nang mapahiya."

Navasero also belied unconfirmed reports that some of the national baseball players have been skipping practice although they have been drawing allowances from the PSC on the basis of a perfect attendance.

A PSC insider said he had observed this illegal practice being done by some NSAs, particularly baseball and softball. "May mga players silang wala naman sa practice pero perfect attendance sa pagkuha ng allowances nila, this should stop."

Navasero said this is not the case in baseball, and explained that some of his players have not been attending practice recently because they were recalled by their mother units in the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

"They are on red alert," he said. so they can only practice three or four times a week. And because of this, hindi mo talaga sila makikita sa Rizal ballpark. We don’t tolerate illegal practices in our NSA," Navasero added.

National baseball players who skip practice at least a dozen days in a month don’t get allowances. "That’s what we do here, absent ka ng 12 times sa practice, tanggal ang allowance mo for the month. Otherwise, pagnanakaw na yan," said Navasero.