The Antique provincial government has allotted PHP15 million for its delegation competing in the Western Visayas Regional Athletics Association (WVRAA) meet that will be hosted by Aklan on April 26 to 30.

Evelyn Remo, chief of the School Governance and Operations Division of the Department of Education (DepEd) Schools – Division of Antique, said the budgetary allocation taken from the province’s Special Education Fund covers the transportation, parade, playing uniforms, meals, and snacks of 516 athletes and officials.

“There is no need to solicit additional funds for the WVRAA,” Remo said in an interview on Tuesday.

She added that the DepEd does not sanction any solicitations should some parents raise funds to provide an additional set of playing uniforms for the athletes.

The Antique delegation will leave for Aklan on April 22 but an advance party will ensure their preparations, such as their billeting school.

“The Aklan National High School for Arts and Trade will serve as the billeting school for the Antique delegation,” Remo said.

A “zero parent policy” will be adopted where parents or guardians of the athletes are not encouraged to stay at the billeting school since there are official chaperones tasked to look into them.

“Parents will have to execute a waiver if they will be taking out their children to stay outside of the billeting school for they will no longer be under the DepEd camp management responsibility,” Remo said.

Coaches, on the other hand, are advised to also check on the nutrition and health of their athletes so they would be in top physical condition and ready to compete.

Remo hoped that Antique, which ranked fifth in the last edition held in Capiz in 2019, could level up its performance in the WVRAA. (PNA)