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Legazpi puts in place security measures for Palarong Bicol 2023

By Connie Calipay and Emmanuel Solis

April 19, 2023, 7:21 pm

<p><em>Legazpi Mayor Carmen Geraldine Rosal (Photo by Emmanuel Solis)</em></p>

Legazpi Mayor Carmen Geraldine Rosal (Photo by Emmanuel Solis)

LEGAZPI CITY – Mayor Carmen Geraldine Rosal has directed this city’s police force and the Public Safety Office (PSO) to carry out necessary security measures in preparation for the Palarong Bicol 2023 to be conducted here on April 24-29.

Rosal, in an interview on Wednesday, said she has requested the policemen and the PSO personnel to always monitor the venues and billeting schools of all the athletes and delegates to ensure their safe stay during the six-day sports competitions.

“We expect hundreds of athletes including delegates and other visitors coming from neighboring provinces, cities, and municipalities in Bicol to come to Legazpi for the Palarong Bicol, so we need to carry out the needed security measures so that the sports competition would become successful,” Rosal said.

PSO Chief Rolly Esguerra, on the other hand, said his team will support the PNP in implementing security measures to ensure the safety of the athletes and visitors.

He said PSO enforcers would implement strategies to minimize traffic congestion due to the anticipated big volume of vehicles during the six-day sporting event, particularly in the city’s main thoroughfares.

Rosal said she would give financial support to the Department of Education (DepEd) for the training, uniforms, food and other needs of the city's athletes who would be competing in the Palarong Bicol.

“We are hoping that our athletes will play squarely and give their best performance for all the games against their rival athletes from other provinces and cities of the region," Rosal added.

In a separate interview, Legazpi City Sports Division officer Francisco Dexter Sison said all the athletes will undergo medical examination and security clearance from government physicians as part of the public health standard protocol required by the DepEd.

“Before the start of the games the medical team will conduct temperature tests on all the athletes and if there is an elevation of body temperature, then he or she will be isolated and cannot consider playing in the games," Sison said.

He said he would request the City Health Office (CHO) and the Legazpi City Hospital to monitor the billeting schools for possible Covid 19 symptoms among the athletes.

Modified Palarong Bicol

In a separate interview, Gilbert Sadsad, DepEd Bicol regional director, said the setup of Palarong Bicol this year will be modified in compliance with DepEd Memorandum No. 5, s. 2023.

"The competition will be held in clusters based on the geographical proximity of the participants," Sadsad said.

Cluster A is composed of the Schools Division Offices (SDOs) of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur and Naga City; Cluster B -- SDOs of Iriga City, Albay and Ligao; Cluster C -- Legazpi City, Tabaco and Catanduanes SDOs; and Cluster D -- SDOs of Sorsogon Province, Sorsogon City, Masbate Province and Masbate City.

Sadsad said the new format called "Modified Palarong Bicol" aims to avoid huge gatherings and ensure that there would be no disruption of classes during the actual conduct of the sporting event.

DepEd Bicol will also set up Child Protection Corners, media rooms as well as isolation rooms for those who might manifest Covid-19 related symptoms. (PNA)

 

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