The Baguio City Council has approved the request of the City Administrator’s Office (CAO) for a full P12 million worth of funding to support its delegation of athletes and coaches for the coming Batang Pinoy games in Puerto Princesa, Palawan this November.
Initially, the city was working with a P1.8 million fund for its Batang Pinoy delegation to defend the city’s crown as it eyes its fourth consecutive year at the top rankings.
The City Administrator’s Office sought a higher amount as the fund for athlete incentives had dried up last year, due to a significant deficit in the budget for rewarding achievements caused by an amendment to the city’s sports code.
The initial funding was subsequently bolstered to a total of P8.8 million in order to provide an appropriate budget for each of the almost 600-strong delegation set to compete in Puerto Princesa this December.
Additionally, the city council approved the release of P5 million into the city’s incentives fund, forming the full P12 million and replenishing the fund available for the provision of incentives to successful winners in Batang Pinoy events.
Based on the expenditure schedule submitted by the city’s sports development office to the city council, each of the delegates to the national sports event 15 years of age and below is allotted P14,285 to cover their airfare, transportation, food, uniforms, insurance, and other expenses.
Additionally, the delegation that the city is sending to the end-of-year games is larger than last year’s delegation, which was 561 individuals strong.
Originally slated in December, the event was moved to November when the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) found an overlap between the original date of the events and the continuation of classes under the Department of Education calendar.
