A fireworks show highlighted the opening of the POC-PSC National Games at the Benigno Aquino Freedom Park last Friday as athletes, coaches and officials started arriving from all over the country.
The nine-day athletic meet was formally declared open by Dumaguete City Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria, Gov. Roel Degamo and officials of the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee.
“We have lined up a lot of activities to make the athletes more enthusiastic, make them feel that this is not just sports competition but some sort of vacation,” said Sagarbarria.
In a press conference, PSC commissioner Jolly Gomez expressed confidence in the participation of the national teams, after making their attendance mandatory in the games.
“The national players should not be complacent and think they won’t be replaced in the team. If they don’t perform, they might lose their spots,” Garcia said, as he explained that the PNG is being treated as a qualifying event, especially for the kids whom we can consider for the developmental pool.
Most of the 24 events will be played today, Sunday, in various venues throughout Dumaguete City.
The games to be played in the PNG are arnis (Cosca Gym), Badminton (Hypermart), Arnis (Cosca Gymn), Archery (City High School), Badminton (Lee Plaza Hypermart), Men’s Basketball (Macias stadium/Silliman University), Billiards (Convention Center), Chess (Convention Center), Dance Sports (Macias Sports Center), Men’s Football (Perdices Coliseum), Men’s and Women’s Futsal (St. Louis School Don Bosco), Judo (NORSU gym), Karatedo (Robinson’s Dumaguete Place), Lawn Tennis (Silliman University/Praxevilla Tennis Court), Pencak Silat (City High School Gym), Sepak Takraw (Catherina Cittadini), Softball (Don Bosco/Silliman University), Swimming (Lorenzo Teves Aqua Center),Table Tennis (Foundation University Gymn), Triathlon (Sipalay, Negros Occidental), Men’s and Women’s Volleyball (Valencia gym), Beach Volleyball (Quezon Park), Weighlifting (Foundation University Gym), Wrestling (Robinson’s Dumaguete Place)and Wushu (ACSAT Gymn).
