ILOILO CITY — Organizers of the 2018 Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association (WVRAA) meet that will begin on Sunday assured that food to be served during the duration of the weeklong event is safe.
Nicasio Valenzuela, Department of Education – Division of Iloilo sports coordinator, said that every delegation is responsible for the food that will be served to their contingent, from preparation to cooking.
The food preparation is being supervised by division supervisors in Home Economics in partnership with their district supervisors.
He cited that every contingent has to observe the clean and green policy of the Palarong Pambansa.
Under this policy, the organizers will give four awards namely best billeting, best in discipline, most-organized, and the cleanest and greenest.
Ensuring food safety is already integrated in this policy.
“Their coming here is to compete not to go to hospitals due to food that is served them,” he stated.
He added that every province has to improve an area in their billeting school like tree planting and beautification as part of the criterion in the clean and green policy.
Delegates, technical officials and the working committees are billeted at the Baluarte Elementary School, Iloilo Central Elementary School, Mandurriao Elementary School, A. Montes I Elementary School, La Paz I Elementary School and the Iloilo National High School.
Meantime, there are 17-member medical teams that are on-standby augmented by the Iloilo City medical team, Iloilo City Emergency Response and the Philippine Red Cross in cases of emergency.
The provincial government of Iloilo also signed a memorandum of agreement with the West Visayas State University (WVSU) and other nearby hospitals to prioritize athletes needing medical intervention.
Valenzuela said the provincial government will foot the bill even of athletes needing medical attention even if they are from other delegations.
The 2018 WVRAA will gather 3,688 delegates from various provinces of Western Visayas composed of 2,953 athletes, 493 coaches, 79 assistant coaches and 163 chaperones.
This year’s WVRAA is hosted by the province and city of Iloilo in partnership with DepEd 6.
It will kick off afternoon of February 18 at the Iloilo Sports Complex in this city and will end on February 23. (Perla Lena/PNA)
