JEDDAH, 18 November 2003 — The chairman of sports at the International Philippine School in Alkhobar (IPSA) is in the hot seat after reportedly failing to remit the proceeds generated from an ongoing basketball tournament.
Mohammad Ho, the chairman for sports, denied any wrongdoing. He explained that the funds are yet to be remitted to the treasurer pending completion of the tournament.
The spectacular tournament that started two weeks ago at the IPSA basketball grounds was spearheaded to raise funds for building a function hall. With an entrance fee of SR1,000 per team, 47 teams participated in the tournament comprising students, parents, including various Filipino communities in Alkhobar and Dammam.
Parent Zane Thirlwall, speaking on behalf of the complaining parents, have said that as standard IPSA procedure, the PTAC treasurer shall handle all PTAC funds in order to have transparency and clear accountability.
Thirwall further added that, “all expenses incurred in any IPSA fund raising must be approved not only by the sports committee chairman and the PTAC president, but also by the council member. That is to make sure that the money is properly and wisely spent.”
Aside from the unremitted funds, parents, who refused to be identified for fear of being persecuted and harassed, also complained that during the raffle draw to raise funds for the uniforms of the basketball players, secondhand cell phones and a hi-fi stereo had been given away as prizes to the disenchantment of the winners.
“Besides we are accountable for everything with proofs and receipts. We started this tournament from scratch in an effort to raise funds and not to take anything from it,” Ho said in a telephone interview.
On the issue of second-hand prizes, Ho clarified that the matter had already been cleared with the winning claimants. “All winners received their prizes and even signed a piece of paper stating they received brand-new prizes.”
Ho added: “There are a few people with malicious intent, who just want to destabilize the school by creating unwarranted accusations.”
