VIGAN, Ilocos Sur – About 6,000 athletes and coaches from more than 122 local government units in Luzon will converge at the President Elpidio Quirino Stadium here in Bantayan, Ilocos Sur on Sunday for the opening ceremony of the Batang Pinoy Luzon Games.
Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William I. Ramirez is optimistic that the hosting of Ilocos Sur province of the Batang Pinoy Luzon Games will be successful.
“It’s just a coincidence that Vigan will be able to have some practice of hosting of the Batang Pinoy regional games,” Ramirez said. “I think Governor Ryan (Singson) will do a very good job of hosting the Luzon Leg of the Batang Pinoy.”
Provincial sports coordinator Marius Cabudol said they have invited Department of Education (Deped) Assistant Secretary Tonisito Umali to be the guest of honor.
However, Ramirez will be represented by PSC Commissioner Charles Raymond A. Maxey as the former’s schedule won’t permit him to attend.
Other officials expected to grace the opening ceremonies are Ilocos Sur Governor Ryan Luis V. Singson, Ilocos Norte Governor Maria Imelda Josefa “Imee” Romualdez Marcos, Pangasinan Governor Amado Espino III, La Union Governor Francisco Emmanuel Ortega III, and Vigan City Mayor Juan Carlo S. Medina.
The opening ceremony will kick off at about 1 p.m. with the parade of delegations while table tennis gold medalist Wrency Abad and consistent Batang Pinoy medalist Ralf Justine A. Chan will lead the torch relay and oath of sportsmanship, respectively.
The 19 sports events will be played in the following venues: archery at the San Ildefonso Central School; arnis at the Pantay Daya covered court; athletics at the Pres. Elpedio Quirino Stadium; badminton at the Bantay Badminton court; baseball at the Cerillo Lao Compound; girls’ basketball at the Caoayan covered court; boys’ basketball at the Santa Catalina covered court; boxing at the Vigan City Plaza; chess at the Balwarte Function Hall; dancesport at the NSCC; karatedo at the Vigan Convention Center; girls’ lawn tennis at the Vigan Tennis Court; boys’ lawn tennis at the Sta. Catalina; pencak silat at the NSCC; sepak takraw at the Baddend covered court; softball at the Cerillo Lao compound; swimming at the Quirino Stadium; table tennis at the San Vicente covered court; taekwondo at the Vigan Convention Center; volleyball at the Immaculate Conception Seminary covered court and Immaculate Conception School of Theology; and beach volley at the Pres. Elpedio Quirino Stadium.
The 2017 Batang Pinoy Luzon Games in Vigan City will serve as their benchmark for the province’s hosting of the Palarong Pambansa games next April. (PSC)
