A long-term plan that includes the hosting of next year's Asia-Pacific Softball Championships is being studied by Bacolod councilor Homer Bais to help address the financial woes of the city's softball teams that qualify for the World Series in the United States.

"We need to have a long-term plan because the city government alone cannot send our teams to the US," Bais told the DAILY STAR last night.

The councilor said he is proposing the staging of the As-Pac championships in Bacolod to lessen the financial burden on the local teams that qualify for the tournament.

"Our teams will save money because they do not need to go to Manila for the As-Pac and at the same time we can also promote Bacolod to the teams from Guam and China which participate in the tournament" Bais, who has taken the task of helping the Bacolod-Negros softball team raise funds for their US trip next month, said.

Teams need to top the Philippine Series to advance to the As-Pac tilt.

Bais said he is tapping companies in Bacolod to help raise the P1.2 million needed for the trip.

He said he has mentioned the problem of the Bacolod softbelles to an executive of one of the call centers in the city, who expressed willingness to extend financial aid to the athletes. Bais also said he has sent solicitation letters to the Philippine Sports Commission, Sen. Bong Revilla, who was in Bacolod for the inauguration ceremony of Mayor Evelio Leonardia and the Sangguniang Panlungsod members Monday, and Negros Occidental Fourth District Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer.

"They (Sen. Revilla and Rep. Ferrer) have pledged to help," Bais added.

The Junior League World Series is set in Kirkland, Washington from Aug. 12-18. Vice-mayor Thaddy Sayson has publicly announced his commitment to help the softbelles, who defeated Guam to gain a World Series slot.

Sayson has committed his Pagcor fund of P40,000 for the month of August to the Bacolod-Negros squad, which boasts of World Series veterans from Education Training and Center School as well as Domingo Lacson National High School. *CPT

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