The Mandaue City Council has ordered an investigation of the funds intended for the annual Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Sports Festival.The Council has adopted in yesterday’s session the privilege speech of Councilor Gian Guiseppe Gobalani, SK Federation president, to be integrated into a floor resolution, authored by Councilor Victor Biaño, ordering an investigation on the funds intended for the SK. Gobalani criticized Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes for the cancellation of the annual youth sports festival because the funding for the activity wasn’t released. They have started with the festival preparations last March 29, he said.
Gobalani said the mayor had intended to use the funds for the Mayor’s cup for the fiesta celebration instead of for the annual SK sportsfest usually held during summer. “I wish to express my disappointment on how the mayor treated the SK federation and this (sports festival) whole activity,” said Gobalani in his speech. “It appears that the programs and projects of the SK federation will remain hostage to the mayor.” In the 2008 Annual Budget, around P1.5 million was allocated for the SK programs and activities. The sports fest, prepared by Gobalani, needs P500,000 out of the total amount allocated in the budget. In the previous talks with the Mayor, Gobalani said Cortes had extended his support to the festival. But when the SK formally sent letters of request on March 10 and March 25, Cortes had changed his mind. Gobalani recalled that on Dec. 13, during courtesy call after being elected SK federation president, it was the mayor who encouraged him to come up with an SK festival. The annual SK sportsfest was supposed to run for one month. For his part, Councilor Emilio Rosal, chair of the committee on budget, appropriation, and finance, will also investigate reports that the P1.5 million was already used up. Cortes ally, Diosdado Suico, is also supporting the probe because the P1.5 million for the SK is not supposed to be used for other purpose.
Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna said he also wants to know the objective of the Mayor’s cup “why it is using the funds of the SK.” | 
