The Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVRAA) is now in Pagsanjan, Laguna for this year’s Palarong Pambansa slated on May 4-10. The region’s qualified athletes will once again try to clinch gold in the different events, hoping to break last year’s record placing overall third.
Delegates from Bohol, Dumaguete, Negros Oriental and Siquijor arrived on April 26 in Cebu City, convened with the rest of Cebu delegation and completed the region’s bets for the national event. A send-off briefing was conducted to ensure that everyone got a complete and smooth access to all the available services of the different committees, namely: food, medical, transportation, accommodation, monitoring, security and quality control.
“I encourage you to soar high, and break our record last year,” said Department of Education Regional Director Dr. Carmelita T. Dulangon in her challenge to the athletes during the briefing. “But most importantly, I want you to always pray,” she added.
An early morning mass on April 27 commenced the delegation’s journey to Manila, then to Unson Elementary and High School in Laguna, the billeting quarters of Region VII. Athletes’ training and coaches’ refresher courses were set on May 1-2. The grand opening salvo is set on Monday, May 5, although some sports competitions are slated to begin the day before.
With the Department of Education as the frontrunner and its partner agency, the Philippine Sports Commission, the Palarong Pambansa is the biggest annual sports event competed by athletes from 17 regions of the country.
A total of 21 sports events will be played in the national game including archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, billiards, boxing, chess, football, futsal, gymnastics, sepak takraw, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball, wrestling, and wushu.
More than 5,000 athletes, officials and coaches from all over the Philippines are expected to attend this big sports event.
CVRAA delegation photos are updated daily and available on Facebook.com/paralongpambansa2013. (Adolf Aguilar).
