This pertains to the viral post concerning the jerseys of the players of the winning volleyball boys team from Tublay, Benguet in their semifinals game against Ifugao on April 17 during the Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association Meet in Apayao.
DepEd Tayo Benguet posted the photos and news about the actual game, which the young Benguet spikers won in a convincing fashion.
Unfortunately, several netizens appeared to be more focused on the jerseys plastered with masking tape-made numbers and team name instead of the good news of the boys’ victory towards the finals.
Without understanding the context behind such a remedy, these netizens appear to insinuate that our sports officials and even our local government units failed to provide suitable uniforms for our athletes.
To prevent further misconception and misunderstanding, we deleted the pictures as the real news we wish to convey is about the victory.
But here comes this brouhaha from a netizen, further fueling negative insinuations from netizens as if DepEd Tayo Benguet is not for responsible reporting.
Truth be told, the provincial government already procured and distributed the complete set of uniforms for all our athletes prior to the start of the 2024 Caraa Meet.
But due to the extremely warm temperature here in Apayao causing so much perspiration, a jersey cannot be worn throughout successive games within the day and much more the following day without it being first washed and dried.
After the boys’ game in the morning, it was unhygienic for them to wear again their official jerseys provided by the province.
As a remedy, the boys wore their unnumbered jerseys which the barangay of Ambongdolan in Tublay procured before the Benguet Provincial Meet last February.
Due to the game regulations, however, the coach and chaperons who included their parents no less collaborated in making improvised player numbers using masking tape.
Majority of the parents and guardians accompanied the boys and assisted the coach in providing the needed guidance for them until they won the gold medal this day.
To insinuate that our officials neglected to provide suitable uniforms for our athletes will only sow malice and irresponsible information.
In the case of the Tublay boys, the Ambongdolan barangay and the municipality of Tublay procured separate uniforms for the players before the Provincial Meet.
They still wore these alternately in their games during this Caraa Meet, although they have their province-procured uniforms, which they wore during their championship match against Mountain Province in the afternoon of April 18.
As a way forward, the experience of our boys might lead our sports officials to propose for at least two sets of similar uniforms for team sports events in future Caraa Meets.
At any rate, we recognize the criticisms spurred by the viral post as part of the freedom of expressions and the right to air supposed legitimate grievances. However, to cause malice and put our sports officials in bad light due to an allegation that is totally bereft of the true context and situation has to be corrected.
After all, DepEd Tayo Benguet will always side with the truth and nothing but the truth.
May 4, 2024
