6T athletes gather at Prov'l meet opening

CEBU, Philippines - Over 6,000 athletes from the different elementary and high schools of the Province of Cebu gathered for the opening of this year's Cebu Provincial Sports and Cultural Festival held in the town of Asturias yesterday.

The event was started with a parade and was followed by a dance number from selected Asturia's students, employees and Mayor Alan Adlawan to the tune of the famous "Gangnam Style".

Arden Monisit, Division Superintendent of the Department of Education Cebu Province, said the best athletes will be chosen from the event to represent Cebu in the upcoming Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association meet in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental.

The five-day event will culminate on November 16.  The  athletes will compete in various sports.

However, the opening was marred by the heavy rains yesterday that forced the athletes to seek shelter while several guests deliver their messages.

Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia was among those who graced the event with candidates of the One Cebu Party and guest, Las Piñas Rep. Cynthia Villar.

The Villar Foundation recognizes sports as means of instilling values of discipline, teamwork, honesty, sportsmanship and the passion for excellence.                                          "More than just preaching these virtues, I believe, nurturing them through sports will leave a stronger and more lasting impact among our people, especially the youth. It is important to instill these values among the youth because these are the same values that are necessary towards building a good future," Villar said in her speech.

Villar said that sportsmanship is very important as it means that we follow the rules of the game and that we are able to accept losing gracefully and celebrate victory in humility.

The Villar Foundation, she added, also organizes sports events like "Sports sa Barangay" and "Villiards". —/MBG (FREEMAN)