2019 WVRAA. Some 6,000 student-athletes, coaches and sports officials converge in Roxas City, Capiz for the 2019 Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association (WVRAA) meet that kicked off Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019. (Photo courtesy of RMN Iloilo)
ILOILO CITY – An official of the Department of Education (DepEd) has full confidence that Western Visayas (WV) athletes can perform better in this year’s Palarong Pambansa to be held April 27-May 4 in Davao City.
“You gave your best in last year’s Palaro in Vigan. But I still believe and do believe that Western Visayas has more arsenals to unleash, has more power to shine and conquer the 2019 Palarong Pambansa,” Assistant Secretary Revsee Acuña Escobedo said during the opening of the Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association (WVRAA) meet held at the Villareal Stadium in Roxas City on Sunday, February 17.
Speaking to more than 5,000 student-athletes, coaches, local officials, and other stakeholders, he recalled that last year, the region finished third after National Capital Region (NCR) and Calabarzon with its 46 gold, 45 silver and 55 bronze medals.
“In the history of Palaro, Western Visayas for several times has been a perennial challenger/contender of the NCR in the coveted championship crown. Western Visayas has been and always been a source of raw talents to represent the Philippines in the international sporting arena,” he added.
The regional sports meet will see in action elementary athletes competing for 15 sports discipline and 22 events for the secondary. There are also para games and three demonstration sports to include dance sports, aero-gymnastics and pencak silat.
Also, Escobedo revealed that this year’s Palaro will have new features.
There will be indigenous sports or the "Laro ng Lahi" where instead of athletes, DepEd officials from undersecretaries down to the regional officials will play and compete.
Also, there will be a sports hero’s day where athletes will have an opportunity to “interact with their sports heroes and icons”.
“Palarong Pambansa will now be an occasion for our sports heroes and icons who have brought honor and glory to our country,” Escobedo said.
Meanwhile, to provide the LGU enough time to prepare for the hosting of the Palarong Pambansa, he said that they have amended their rules, and the bidding for the hosting of the national sports event will now be done three years in advance.
“Three years of preparation would be sufficient to organize and mobilize LGU resources for the successful hosting,” Escobedo said.
Meanwhile, he said that as a result of their partnership with the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), the latter has committed to assist in the training and development of athletes, coaches and technical officials.
He revealed that last year DepEd and PSC conducted a joint strategic planning to craft a Sports Program Roadmap.
There will also be sports events to be held during summer and semestral break for those who will not qualify for the Palaro or even regional sports events to make them “more productive rather than being idle during school breaks”.
PSC William “Butch” Ramirez, in his keynote address, reminded athletes that the WVRAA meet is not only about competition, it is also about friendship and discipline.
“While you are young you must look beyond the four corners of classrooms, textbooks, computers and cellphone. You have to journey your youth with a purpose and dream; learn life skills that will prepare you in the future,” he said. (PNA)
