By Riz Sunio/PNA
MARAWI CITY — After being postponed last year due to the Marawi siege, some 86 schools in the Department of Education (Deped) Marawi City Division completed the five-day Palarong Panlungsod 2018 at the Mindanao State University Sports Complex.
“We are extremely excited and happy because our division is now moving on and we were able to track our learners [after the siege]. Most of them are back to their original schools,” said Dr. Pharida L. Sansarona, Deped Marawi Schools Division Superintendent.
The sports meet ran from December 5 to 9.
Last year, in order for Marawi City to participate in the Palarong Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao Athletics Association (ARMAA) and Palarong Pambansa despite not holding a city sports meet, they had to select players and schools to train prospect competitors.
“Kaunti lang ang athletes namin last year kasi nung nakabalik kami [galing sa gyera], hindi pa maganda and sitwasyon ng Marawi (We only had a small number of athletes last year because when we returned from the siege, Marawi’s condition was still unstable),” said Dr. Sobaida D. Ampuan, Assistant Schools Superintendent for Senior High School of the DepEd Marawi City division.
This year, 28 private schools, seven public secondary, 49 public elementary schools, and two state universities and colleges (SUCs) feeder schools from the nine districts of Marawi City have sent their competitors for the sports event.
The events in the Palarong Panlungsod are sepak takraw, soccer, chess, table tennis, taekwondo (boys), softball, basketball, baseball, and athletics.
Five schools that were competing in the sports meet are from the City’s most affected area. These schools are currently operating in temporary learning centers, which include the Dansalan National High School, Sagonsongan Elementary School, Sagonsongan High School, Sarimanok Tent City, and Bahay Pag-asa.
“We are able to provide an avenue for pupils and students to forget their traumatic experiences. [The City Meet] shows that they (students) have moved on [from the siege]. Nakabangon na sila (They have already recovered),” Sansarona said.
Winning teams and players of the Palarong Panlungsod 2018, Sansarona said, will be sent to compete in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Athletic Association in February next year.
