Dragon boat reps a no-show in House-ordered unification meeting

Philippine Dragon Boat Federation (PDBF) representatives were a no show in a House of Representatives-ordered unification meeting between their group and the Philippine Canoe Kayak Federation (PCKF) held at the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) office at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex. Only PSC chairman Ricardo Garcia, commissioners Salvador Andrada and Gillian Akiko Thomson-Guevarra, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) chairman Monico Puentevella, PCKF secretary general Jonne Go and head coach Len Escollante and Mark Daya, a representative of Pwersa ng Bayaning Atlets (PBA) Party List Rep. Mark Sambar, were present in the meeting held Wednesday morning. The meeting took place after a Congressional hearing held last week to tackle PCKF and PDBF unification for a formation of the unified dragon boat team in the 2011 Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia. The PDBF informed its absence Wednesday in a letter signed by secretary Priscilla Pinky Castillo to Camarines Norte Rep. Renato Unico, chairman of the Youth and Sports Development Committee. "We wish to inform your office that PDBF president Marcia Cristobal will not be joining the meeting you have set with the PSC, POC and PCKF (Wednesday) August 24 at the PSC office," the letter said. "We also wish to inform you that Ms. Cristobal has not assigned an alternative to represent the PDBF in this meeting," the letter added. Garcia was saddened by PBDF’s absence in the meeting, which was set in the hopes of ending the issue that has gained national attention. "I feel sad that this happened because we are looking forward to settling the issue," said Garcia in a press briefing. "PCKF was here for a solution and even the Senate ordered us to settle the issue after 48 hours." Cristobal said that they failed to attend the meeting due to a conflict of schedule but she also said that there was no agenda in the meeting. She added that she was informed of the meeting only last Tuesday night. "We believe that the issue on the reinstatement of PDBF in the POC should be tackled first before the SEA Games," said Cristobal. Despite PBDF’s absence, the meeting went on to discuss PCKF’s preparations for the SEA Games. "I told them that if they are ready to form a team, they have to work on a time trial and go on a competition-like test and let’s see what happens. They still have to prove if they are worthy of participating in dragon boat," said Garcia. – Reuben Terrado, GMA News