EVENT VENUE. The Leyte Sports Development Center, the main venue of the upcoming Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association Meet, is all set for the conduct of the games on April 24-27, 2023. This is the first full face-to-face school-based sports competition since the pandemic broke out. (Photo courtesy of HJ. Hubilla Aerial Photography)
TACLOBAN CITY – Everything is set for the four-day 2023 Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association (EVRAA) Meet next week, the first full face-to-face school-based sports competition since the pandemic broke out.
“Sports and physical education provide a great opportunity for children to head outside, get active, and focus on developing different skills,” Department of Education (DepEd)-Eastern Visayas Director Evelyn Fetalvero said in a statement Thursday.
For the first time in recent years, the EVRAA is co-hosted by two DepEd school divisions – Tacloban City and Leyte province – with the sporting events slated to take place in this city and the nearby towns of Palo and Tanauan.
Fetalvero said the sports event will be held on April 24 to 27 with the opening program scheduled on April 25 at the Leyte Sports Development Center, the venue of the 2009 Palarong Pambansa.
Joining the opening ceremonies are 419 athlete students, sports officials from the 13 school division offices, congressmen, governors, and mayors from different parts of Leyte and Samar provinces.
The DepEd Central Office has set aside PHP2 million for the EVRAA while the regional office allotted PHP1.5 million.
“I laud the efforts of all the 13 schools division offices that despite the challenges in budget and other factors, they were able to prepare their athletes for the EVRAA,” Fetalvero said.
Among the EVRAA sports events are swimming, archery, basketball, volleyball, softball, baseball, football, sepak takraw, table tennis, badminton, billiard, chess, dance sports, gymnastics, arnis, boxing, wrestling, taekwondo, wushu, and pencak silat.
EVRAA winners will represent the region in the 2023 Palarong Pambansa on July 29 to August 5 in Marikina City. (PNA)
