Boxing Judge Defends GAB Move

Editor's Note: In a letter to GAB Boxing Chief Dr. Nasser Cruz, boxing judge Epie Almeda shows his support to the increase of fees to boxing judges.

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20 October 2006

GAMES & AMUSEMENTS BOARD

Attention: DR. NASSER CRUZ

Chief, Boxing Division

Paseo de Roxas, Makati City

Subject: My Comment on the Article of Joaquin M. Henson - 20 Oct '06 issue of Philstar

Gentlemen:

Being a boxing judge, I read with interest Mr. Henson's Sporting Chance column entitled "Cantada assails GAB 'dictatorship'" on page A-35 in today's issue of the Philippine STAR.

Mr. Henson writes, "In the past, the GAB charged a flat rate of P2,000 for three judges per promotion. That was what Cantada paid for 10 fights in his Bagumbayan, Taguig, show last April 23. Now, the fee is P400 for each judge or a total of P1,200 per bout, regardless of the distance. So that in his card last Sept. 17, Cantada was assessed P10,800 for nine bouts compared to P2,000 for 10 fights five months before."

Mr. Henson also wrote what Cantada further said towards the end of his article: "Cantada says the increases are excessive and disproportionate, particularly in the compensation for referees and judges."

Instead of looking at the "increases" as being "excessive and disproportionate", Mr. Cantada should have considered how long overdue the due increases in the compensation for referees and judges had been. Aside from the difficulty in equally dividing the P2,000 for the three judges, Mr. Cantada overlooks, at the present rate of inflation, how much would be left from the P666.66 share of each judge after deducting his expenses in transportation or gasoline and toll fees. And this is for a 70-round card which starts from 6 pm up to midnight and often times past it.

Mr. Henson did not state in what year did Cantada first paid the P2,000 fees for three judges.

Mr. Joaquin M. Henson, a Fistorama host, simply wrote Mr. Cantada's reaction to the "increases" and did not comment as to whether or not Mr. Cantada was justified with his reaction.

Very truly yours,

Atty. Epifanio M. Almeda, CPA

Boxing Judge