On the penultimate day of the Palarong Batang Pinoy that was held in Dumaguete City last Nov 10-13, Philippine Sports Commissioner Jolly Gomez met with Provincial Sports Officer, Engr. Dominador Dumalag, Jr., to explore the possibility of Negros Oriental hosting the 2012 Philippine National Games, scheduled in the third week of May next year.
I contacted Commissioner Gomez who is currently in Baguio City for the Northern Luzon leg of the PBP and he said that after the nationals of this children’s games scheduled in Naga City on Dec 10-13, the PSC Board will meet to approve a Board Resolution to formally make Negor as the official host of the PNG 2012. Gomez will then submit the BR to Governor Roel Degamo who will secure approval of the Provincial Board. It is anticipated that the Board Members will approve the hosting as this will be an opportunity for the Province to showcase it capability and potential for hosting major sporting events. It will also serve as a prelude to bid for Negor to host the 2013 Palarong Pambansa, which the late Governor Dr. Emilio “Dodo” Macias attempted to win but lost out to Leyte in 2009.
The PNG 2012 is barely six months away and Juny Dumalag has to mobilize province-wide support and resources to insure successful staging of several sporting disciplines. The last PNG was hosted by Negros Occidental and the following information may be useful in the preparations that will be undertaken by the Negros Oriental.
The PSC budget for last year’s PNG was pegged at P26.5 million. Four hundred hotel rooms were reserved for 850 guests. Billeting in schools was prepared for some 7,800 athletes and 1,000 officials. Four cities were selected as venues for 35 sporting disciplines. Bacolod City was the site for badminton, beach volleyball, billiards, equestrian, fencing, gymnastics, judo, karate do, lawn tennis, motorcycle sports, sailing, soft tennis, swimming, taekwondo, volleyball, wall climbing, weightlifting, wind surfing, and wrestling.
In Bago City, the following events were held: kayak, dragon boat, muay thai, and wushu. Talisay hosted road cycling, futsal, football, penchat silat, softball, and table tennis. Silay City was the host for archery, arnis, sepak takraw and triathlon. The other events not held but might be added to the 2012 calendar are basketball, boxing, dancesport, golf, chess, and shooting.
There will also be seminars and lectures on sports nutrition, sports psychology and other subjects in sports science.
Can we in Negros Oriental host such a formidable list of sporting disciplines which will require significant mobilzation of manpower and material resources? My ready answer is yes. And I make this conclusion on what I personally witnessed in the PNG last year In Bacolod.
Equestrian cannot be held anywhere outside of Metro Manila and besides, what talents can be discovered in the provinces if the purpose of the PNG is to discover grassroots potentials? Are there equestrian aficionados in the provinces? Ditto for fencing. These two are expensive sports which I believe are not practice outside of Metro Manila.
Our natural environment of mountains, forest and bodies of water make perfect setting for water sports like kayaking, wind surfing, dragon boat and sailing. We have had occasions to stage competitions in shooting and billiards, triathlon, marathons, and golf. In other words, the sports in the PNG are not foreign to Negrenenses.
When Foundation University hosted the UniGames in 2009, Valencia was the main venue for volleyball and Tanjay was alternate venue for basketball. Dauin is an excellent place for holding water sports, and Lake Balinsasayaw serving as the venue for kayaking.
The sports facilities of the Province (Macias Cultural & Sports Center, Aqua Center, Perdices Stadium, and Convention Center), the academic institutions like SU, FU, SPUD, NORSU are more than adequate to serve as competition venues. We have golf courses, tennis courts and a shooting range. And most of all, we have competent sports organizers in our midst, and a people that are sports minded.
Indeed, let’s get the Philippine Sports Commission to bring the Philippine National Games 2012, to Negros Oriental. Kaya natin ito!
