Sports: Bacolod Fails to Send Softball Team to As-Pac in Indonesia

Many times Asia Pacific Softball champions in the Senior (14-16), Junior (13-14) and Major League (11-12) softball teams from Bacolod City is not joining this year’s Asia Pacific Regional Softball Championship in Jakarta, Indonesia slated June 24 to 30, 2012.

Pato Palma, father of Celestine Palma, a catcher of Domingo Lacson National High School softball team that recently captured the event in the 2012 Palarong Pambansa said, he did not know if the team will be sent to Jakarta, Indonesia to compete against the teams from Guam, Indonesia, China, and other participating teams from Asia Pacific.

Palma is the one negotiating before the team’s finances to the Provincial Capitol but failed to do so this time due to the special election in 5th district of Negros Occidental last month. Palma headed one of the town’s COMELEC in the 5th district.

Once winning the title, they will represent Asia Pacific region to the World Series next month in different venues in the United States of America.

Executive Assistant to Governor Alfredo G. Marañon and provincial Sports Coordinator Angel Verdeflor told NDB last night that the team submitted their proposal two weeks ago, which was not acted due to limited time and it will follow procedure in processing.

Verdeflor also added that governor Marañon appeal to them to set aside their participation as the Provincial Government had to attend first to give cash incentives to Palarong Pambansa medalists who are members of the Western Visayas contingent. The amount reaches to a million of pesos.

The Senior League (14-16) from Domingo Lacson National High School is the only team that qualifies to Asia Pacific Regional softball championship after winning the Philippine Series in Clark Air Base in Pampanga last April.

The International Little League of Manila (ILLAM) already sends three division teams in the said tournament. ILLAM represent the Philippines in Major league (11-10) to Jakarta, Indonesia. They are also sending the junior league (13-14), while Little League baseball in Nathang, Vietnam from June 30 to July 7, 2012.

While, Domingo Lacson National High School Senior league team is under the newly created Bacolod Little League (BLL) headed by Mr. Montoyo , they are still asking financial assistance from Negros Occidental Provincial government and not at Bacolod City government.*