PALARO HOSTING. Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio (3rd from left) and Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama (3rd from right) pose after signing a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to ensure the intensive preparation for the 2024 Palarong Pambansa, in a ceremony at the Cebu City Hall Executive Building on Friday (Feb. 2, 2024). Cebu City will be hosting the annual tournament for elementary and high school students for the third time. (Photo courtesy of DepEd)
MANILA – The Department of Education (DepEd) and the Cebu City government have forged a partnership for the 2024 Palarong Pambansa.
Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio and Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama signed the memorandum of agreement (MOA) to ensure the intensive preparation for this year's Palarong Pambansa in a ceremony at the Community Hall on the 9th floor of Cebu City Hall Executive Building.
“We affirm our unwavering dedication to strengthening our support for young athletes. Our primary goal is to equip them with the necessary tools to nurture discipline, resilience, and the indomitable spirit required to pursue their athletic passions,” Duterte said in a press release posted on the DepEd official website on Saturday.
“The unique character and vaunted hospitality of Cebu City will make this year’s Palaro even more memorable for all our student-athletes.”
Cebu City will be hosting the prestigious annual multi-sporting event for the third time. The first was in 1954 and then in 1994.
“We’ve been waiting for 30 years for this moment. In fact, the Cebu City Sports Center was built 30 years ago, specific to the hosting of Palarong Pambansa in Cebu City,” Cebu City Sports Commission chairman John Pages said, noting the city's readiness and sporting venues to be completed soon.
Under the MOA, the DepEd will coordinate with Cebu City to ensure security provisions and measures, transportation, and communications provision, and other requirements for the competition.
Cebu City, on the other hand, will create and convene the Local Palaro Executive Committee (LPEC) and Secretariat, and facilitate the sourcing of funds for the tournament, specifically for the construction and renovation of sports facilities, billeting quarters, and other infrastructural requirements of the Palaro host.
The Palarong Pambansa, which was shelved due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, was hosted by Marikina City last year.
The 2019 edition of the tournament for elementary and high school students was held in Davao City. (PNA)
