SPORTS MANUAL. The sports manual of operations, which was launched by the Department of Education-6 on April 30, will be adopted for the first time in the staging of the 2024 Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association Meet. Negros Occidental province hosts the regional amateur games, with the Panaad Park and Stadium in Bacolod City as the main venue, from May 2 to 7, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Department of Education-Western Visayas)
BACOLOD CITY – The Department of Education-Region 6 (DepEd-6) is adopting its own sports manual of operations for the first time in the 2024 Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association (WVRAA) Meet here on May 2 to 7.
The sports manual was launched two days ahead of the opening of the regional amateur games at the Panaad Park and Stadium Thursday afternoon, with almost 5,700 delegates, hosted by Negros Occidental province along with the highly-urbanized Bacolod City.
Hernani Escullar Jr., DepEd-6 public information officer, said the sports manual was conceptualized by the leadership of Regional Director Ramir Uytico after the 2023 Palarong Pambansa.
“With the sports manual, we are guided on how to conduct sports activities from the regional down to the school level. Here, we also put emphasis on child protection,” Escullar told the Philippine News Agency.
In a statement, DepEd-6 said the sports manual “serves as a guiding light for athletes, coaches, administrators and all stakeholders involved in the vibrant sports landscape of Western Visayas”.
“It encapsulates the best practices, protocols, and standards tailored to the context of the region,” it added.
Iloilo City Schools Division Superintendent Ma. Luz de los Reyes said in having the sports manual, the schools need not wait for memorandum and other issuances regarding the sports events in Western Visayas.
“It’s a user-friendly manual for all of us here in DepEd-Region 6,” she added.
This year’s WVRAA Meet, participated by contingents from the provinces of Negros Occidental, Antique, Aklan, Capiz, Guimaras and Iloilo, will kick-off with an opening ceremony at 5 p.m. on Thursday.
A total of 5,695 delegates, among them 2,972 athletes, 455 coaches, 104 assistant coaches, 159 chaperones and 644 technical officials, are taking part in the six-day regional meet.
The rest of delegation includes other participants, trainers and DepEd-6 personnel.
To ensure the safety of the athletes, Escullar said outdoor games have been adjusted to be held earlier from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 4 p.m. onwards.
“We don’t want to compromise the safety of our athletes. Between those hours when there is high heat index, there are no outdoor games,” he added.
Mid-day competitions will be held only for indoor games and other sports events with well-ventilated venues.
Athletes in both elementary and secondary divisions will see action in basketball girls and boys (5x5), basketball (3x3), volleyball, softball, baseball, football, futsal, speak takraw, swimming, athletics, tennis, table tennis, badminton, archery, boxing, taekwondo, billiards, wrestling, wushu, arnis, pencak silat, dancesport, gymnastics, chess and paragames. (PNA)
