LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- After losing its bid to host the 2018 Palarong Pambansa to Vigan City, the country's Summer Capital now has the chance to show it's all set to hold major sports events, with its selection as the venue for the "Batang Pinoy" sports competitions this year.
Batang Pinoy is the government's annual multi-sports meet for school children and out-of-school youth 15-year-old and below.
“Baguio City may have lost the chance of hosting 2018 Palarong Pambansa, but here comes a better opportunity to house not just one but three prestigious sporting events this year, including the Batang Pinoy National Finals in September,” said Georaloy Palao-ay, information officer of the Department of Education in the Cordillera Administrative Region (DepEd-CAR), in an interview over the weekend.
The Philippine Sports Commission has selected Baguio City as the host to help the PSC’s extensive promotion of sports in the countryside by providing the playing venues, augmenting local transportation and setting billeting facilities for athletes and coaches and providing medical personnel and responders in all playing venues.
The hosting of Batang Pinoy was given to Baguio City courtesy of PSC Chairman William Ramirez, Palao-ay said, adding the PSC management must have realized the potential of Baguio City, together with Benguet province, as a sports hub.
Palao-ay said Baguio Mayor Mauricio Domogan had approached DepEd-CAR to help the city look into the things needed for the event.
The local official said Baguio was hoping to host the 2018 Palarong Pambansa, supposedly in partnership with the province of Benguet. The so-called City of Pines had even offered to provide the literally coolest venues for accommodations, while Benguet showcased its knack for security preparations.
But now that the chance of hosting the Batang Pinoy sports event is being given to the upland region "in a silver platter", the Cordillera administration is now about to start preparing for it, Palao-ay said, to show how ready Baguio and Benguet are in hosting big sports events.
(PNA)
