BAGUIO CITY — Baguio City and Benguet province promise to leave a mark with about 7,000 athletes and sports officials coming over the highland region for the Batang Pinoy 2018 come mid-September. The country’s Summer Capital and Strawberry Capital want to be remembered for their warmth and hospitality.
“This is our first time to host such event, let’s work together to make it grand. This is a big opportunity for us,” Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan told the Philippine News Agency (PNA)’s Baguio Bureau on Monday.
Baguio and Benguet will host the Batang Pinoy national youth sports event on September 15 to 21 and are now in the thick of preparations.
In their last coordination meeting for the event last week, Domogan ordered all concerned committee to “prepare a grand hosting and opening day for the national championship games.”
He said he wants the delegations to remember Baguio City and Benguet as gracious hosts of sports competition as Batang Pinoy 2018 will be the first national sports event that both local governments will host.
Domogan said he is not expecting to surpass what Vigan, Ilocos Sur did during the 2018 Palarong Pambansa. He wants the young athletes from the different regions to remember how gracious hosts the city and the province of Benguet could be.
He also made assurances that the working committees will be doing their best to give the young athletes utmost convenience.
The mayor also appreciated the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) for committing to give logistical support. The PSC will provide the beddings and drinking water for the delegates.
Baguio and Benguet’s capital town, La Trinidad, are now also preparing thick, warm beddings for the young participants, as temperature in these highland places dip on rainy days.
Baguio and La Trinidad town will provide the playing venues and billeting, as well as additional transportation facilities for the athletes and coaches.
The hosts also assure the safety of the delegates with medical staff, emergency medical responders, and security officers in all playing venues and billeting areas.
Domogan said the traffic coding scheme in Baguio will be suspended to allow the delegates’ vehicles to move around.
Classes in public schools will also be canceled to give the students the chance to watch and support the Baguio and Benguet delegations.
PSC point person for Batang Pinoy Gloria Quintos said the initial estimate of 7,000 athletes could increase in the coming days, as the deadline for submission of entries in the different sports disciplines will be on August 13 yet.
There will be about 1,600 athletes, coaches, and sports officials from Luzon; 1,500 from Mindanao; 1,400 from Visayas; and 900 athletes from events, where winners are directly bound for the championship in Baguio. Another 1,500 will be billeted in La Trinidad, Benguet.
Quintos said PSC Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez will be in town on August 30 for the formal signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the sports body and the local governments of Baguio and Benguet.
The hosting of Batang Pinoy was given to Baguio City, courtesy of Ramirez, who realized the potential of Baguio City, together with Benguet province, as a sports hub.
President Rodrigo R. Dutete is being eyed as the guest speaker for the opening program of the Batang Pinoy national finals on September 15 at the Baguio Athletic Bowl.
According to Baguio City Information Officer Dexter See, 27 events will be played in the different playing venues in Baguio City and nearby La Trinidad, Benguet. The 21 sports discipline will be played in the city, while six sports events will be played in La Trinidad town. (Pamela Mariz Geminiano/PNA)
