Gov. Joseph Marañon yesterday said the local government units of Negros Occidental are prepared to provide assistance to the organizers of the ongoing South East Asian Games in Bacolod City if their help is needed.

He said the provincial government has also been providing fruits and fresh milk to the Philippine athletes in the SEA Games as its way of helping boost their chances of winning.

Marañon said the Bacolod SEA Games Organizing Committee is doing everything it can to make the SEA Games a success and we are prepared to provide assistance.

The BaSoc has been plagued with problems, among which has been the alleged lack of adequate vehicles for the participating athletes from various countries.

The late release of funds by the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee had caused the BaSoc to provide the visiting athletes with non-aircon Cebro mini buses, similar to those seen plying the northern and southern Negros inter-municipality routes.

Some athletes and their officials had allegedly aired complaints about the quality of transportation given them. One athlete was heard saying that in his country Cebro vehicles are used for ferrying goats.

However, the problem appeared to have been addressed yesterday. The Thai football players were riding in an aircondition Ceres bus and not a Cebro as they had earlier been seen in.

Suggestions have been made that aircondition buses of LGUs could be tapped to provide better transportation for the athletes.

I don't think the LGUs will deny help if asked for it, Marañon said.

The role of the province is only to provide support, management of the games is the task of BaSoc, he said.

Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella yesterday said the BaSoc has already gone directly to individual mayors for assistance.

Marañon yesterday turned over fresh milk from thee Provincial Dairy Farm to members of the Philippine Boxing Team who paid a courtesy call on him at the Capitol.

Meanwhile, Marañon said he is looking into the provisions set by the provincial government in its donation of the Paglaum Sports Complex (now called the Bacolod Sports Complex) to the Department of Education. There are comments that there are violations to the donation provisions, which "we will raise with them," he said.*CPG

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