JOINT MEETING. Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) executive director Elbert Atilano (with microphone) provides updates to Zamboanga City Mayor John Dalipe (seated left), chairman of the local organizing committee of the 2023 PRISAA National Games, and other stakeholders during an inter-agency meeting at the Garden Orchid Hotel on June 9, 2023. Atilano said Friday (June 16, 2023) that it’s all systems go for the event that would bring in thousands of athletes from all over the country from July 13 to 19. (Contributed photo)
MANILA – It's all systems go for the Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) National Games that will be held in Zamboanga City on July 13-19.
"We are ready. We have more than enough venues to cater to the needs of PRISAA," PRISAA national executive director and chairman of the technical management committee Elbert Atilano Sr. said in an interview on Friday.
More than 6,000 athletes from 437 schools, colleges, and universities nationwide are joining the annual tournament, which was postponed for three years due to the pandemic.
Davao hosted the 2019 edition, finishing third overall behind champion Western Visayas (Region 6) and Central Visayas (Region 7).
Delegates are expected to experience another well-organized tournament as Zamboanga City has staged the PRISAA National Games four times (1993, 2005, 2008, and 2011).
On June 9, the PRISAA Executive Board chaired by Fr. Vicente Uy, SVD, met with the local organizing committee headed by Zamboanga City Mayor John Dalipe to get an update on the status of the playing venues, billeting centers for athletes and officials, security, medical, transportation, facilities, and equipment.
Atilano, who also represents Zamboanga Peninsula (Western Mindanao) in the PRISAA National Board, said he has been in constant communication with technical officials and other stakeholders to discuss issues concerning requirements for equipment and facilities, as well as the needed technical officials for gymnastics and archery, the new sports that are included in the forthcoming games.
Laureao "Boy" Santos of Central Luzon (Region 3), the PRISAA National secretary general, headed the technical working group that inspected all the facilities to be used during the tournament on June 10.
The athletes and officials from various regions are scheduled to arrive on July 12, while a technical and solidarity meeting will be held the following day at the JFEM Sports Complex main grandstand.
Meanwhile, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Richard Bachmann has been invited as guest of honor during the opening ceremony at the Joaquin F. Enriquez Memorial (JEFM) Sports Complex on July 13.
Hostilities in 21 sports – archery, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball (5x5), basketball (3x3), beach volleyball, boxing, dance sport, football, gymnastics, indoor volleyball, karatedo, lawn tennis, sepak takraw, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, and weightlifting – will start on July 14.
The league's most prominent product is Zamboangueña Hidilyn Diaz, who won the country's first gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Other provinces that have hosted the PRISAA National Games were Pampanga, Cebu, Zambales, and Bohol. (PNA)
