The Bacolod City Government has given the World Series bid of the Bacolod-Negros softball team a shot-in-the-arm by allocating P200,000 for the squad’s trip to the United States, Bacolod councilor Homer Bais said yesterday.
Bais also said that the Negros Occidental provincial government is set to release the P50,000 commitment to the Ba-Neg softbelles, who are scheduled to see action in the 2007 Junior League World Series from Aug. 12-19 in Kirkland, Washington.
The financial aid from the Bacolod City Government and the Capitol, however, is still short of the P1.2 million needed for the delegation’s trip. The 20-man delegation will be composed of 11 players, five coaches and four officials.
If the team makes it to the US, World Series organizers expected to reimburse $10,000 (P460,000) if the softbelles make it to the US.
The Bacolod councilor, who is spearheading the fund-raising campaign for the Ba-Neg softbelles, said he, along with Ba-Neg officials, will appeal to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for funding support to add to Gov. Joseph Maranon’s allocation.
“We remain hopeful that the girls can still make it to the World Series,” Bais said last night.
Bais also said he hopes that fellow Councilor Al Victor Espino was able to raise funds for the team, while he was in Manila yesterday.
Ba-Neg official Tess Himpolaran last night said they will appeal to the US Embassy to move the scheduled visa interview of 11 members of the delegation from Aug. 19 to a date, prior to their planned departure on Aug. 9.
Eight other members of the delegation are scheduled to be interviewed on Aug. 3.
The Bacolod-Negros softbelles ruled the Philippine Series for the second straight year in Batangas in April, before topping the Asia-Pacific Championships in Pasig last month.
The members of the team, which is hoping to improve on its second-place finish last year, are Cindy Carol Banay, Cherry An Basco, Annalie Benjamen, Angelique Benjamin, Michelle Lentija, Charmaine Joy Oria, Clariz Palma, Jenelyn Polinario, Cristine Sebuan, Jo-an Saul and Jusel Marie Talaban. *
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