By Lilian Mellejor/Philippine News Agency
DAVAO CITY – Around 20,000 athletes and other delegates from 17 regions across the country are expected to converge here for the 2019 Palarong Pambansa from April 27 to May 4.
This as the city government represented by City Administrator Zuleika Lopez and Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Briones formalized Davao City’s hosting of the prestigious annual sports competition with the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on Monday at City Hall.
“This agreement seals our agreed deliverables which is the basis for the city’s selection as host of Palaro,” Briones said during the press conference held at the City Hall Conference Room.
Briones said hosting the Palarong Pambansa is hotly-contested by the local government units (LGUs) because of its impact on the local economy and education.
She said the LGUs are vital to the success of the Palarong Pambansa. Without the LGUs, she said, the Palaro would not happen.
Davao City was selected to host the Palarong Pambansa it has shown confidence to fulfill its commitments such as providing billeting quarters and other related considerations, ease of transportation wherein the city is easy to reach by plane and bus, and most of all, its capability to secure the thousands of delegates.
“All eyes will be on Davao,” Briones said.
Davao City last hosted the national games in 1969 known then as the Bureau of Public Schools-Interscholastic Athletics Association Games (BPISAA). It did not bid to host the following years due to lack of sports venue.
In 2016, Mayor Sara Duterte geared to once again host the Palaro to promote physical education.
The completion of the Davao City-University of the Philippines-Mindanao Sports Complex has also inspired the mayor to bid for the hosting of the national games.
In hosting the Palarong Pambansa, the city government will be providing buses to fetch delegations travelling by plane or sea upon arrival from the airport and ports to the assigned billeting quarters; food for the delegations; free wi-fi connection in all playing venues; mattresses for the regional and technical officials; and, drinking stations in all playing venues.
The city will also ensure that all roads leading to all billeting quarters and playing venues are well-maintained.
Lopez said the city government has allocated PHP69.33 million for the hosting of this year’s Palarong Pambansa.
DepEd will supply the standard technical equipment, materials, and supplies needed for the different sports events; give uniforms for the technical officials and members of the technical management and administration committee who will manage the conduct of the Palaro; and, provide technical and funding assistance in the preparation of the billeting quarters.
Philippine Sports Commissioner William “Butch” Ramirez has also committed to support the Palaro.
He said the Palarong Pambansa is the only genuine grassroots sporting event and the biggest in the country.
“The support of the LGUs is vital,” said Ramirez, adding that PSC is also building other partnerships for sports development programs in the country.
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