BACOLOD CITY – Athletes from 12 tertiary schools in two Negros provinces are competing in the first-ever Negros Island Region (NIR) Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) Meet in this city starting Friday.
After the opening rites held at the STI West Negros University gymnasium, the various sports events began in venues of participating schools and in shopping malls and will run until April 30.
Ryan Mark Molina, executive vice president and chief operations officer of STI West Negros University and second vice president of National PRISAA, said that during its planning conference last August, the National PRISAA Board gave its blessing to put up the NIR PRISAA.
"While our government is looking into the structure of the Negros Island Region, we, here, in the academe, when it comes to sports development programs, we went ahead," he said in a press statement.
The law creating the NIR, composed of the provinces of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor, is awaiting the signature of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. after the approval of Senate Bill 2507 for its creation in March.
Participating schools in the maiden NIR PRISAA Meet include Colegio de Sta. de Victorias, Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod, John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation, La Consolation College, North Negros College, Southland College, VMA Global College, University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos, University of St. La Salle and STI WNU, all in Negros Occidental.
Those from Negros Oriental are Colegio de Santa Catalina de Alejandra and Foundation University.
The 13 sports events are athletics, 5x5 basketball, badminton, beach volleyball, chess, karatedo, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, and swimming, both in the men's and women's divisions.
The 3x3 basketball, football, and speak takraw will be played only by male athletes.
At the National Grassroots Sports Summit-Negros Island Leg a day before the opening of the games, Philippine Sports Commissioner Edward Hayco called for more cooperation and unity to strengthen the national sports program.
"We need to do something extraordinary in order to discover and develop the next international sports standouts, like Hidilyn Diaz," he said in his keynote message before more than 100 school officials, campus-based sports leaders, and athletes.
This year's games focus on the theme, "PRISAA: Steadfast in Advancing and Sustaining Sports Development for Excellence". (PNA)
