2010 Palaro fires off today in Tarlac

TARLAC , Philippines  — Thousands of athletes, officials and guests from all over the country will converge today for the formal opening of the 2010 Palarong Pambansa here at the newly-built Tarlac Recreational Park in San Jose.

This is the first time that Tarlac hosts the annual tilt and that the organizers expect a big volume of spectators to witness the biggest sporting event under the aegis of the Department of Education (DepEd).

Also for the first time in the history of the multi-sport conclave, a new rule will be implemented as the organizers are giving participants and officials a break from 10 am to 2 pm as a precaution against heat stroke, which caused two deaths and more than a hundred cases of heat stroke in previous stagings of the games.

In the 2007 edition of the games, two participants died due to heat stroke, while hundreds of athletes suffered dehydration and minor burns due to the scorching heat.

Aside from DepEd bigwigs led by newly-appointed Education secretary Mona Valisno, former DepEd chied and now Trade Secretary Jesli Lapus, Tarlac Governor Vic Yap and revered businessman-sportsman Manny V. Pangilinan banner the list of luminaries set to grace the grand opening salvo.

Aside from being a native of Tarlac, Pangilinan’s Smart Communications is one of the major corporates backers of the event that has produced the likes of Asian sprint queen Lydia de Vega-Mercado, SEA Games champions Elma Muros-Posadas, Marestella Torres and Ryan Arabejo.

Meanwhile, action goes full blast tomorrow yet in different venues. Among the sports disciplines to be contested include archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, boxing, chess, football, gymnastics, sepak takraw, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis and volleyball.

As in the past editions of the yearly athletic meet, the ‘points system’ will be applied to determine the overall rankings.

Aside from the main hub, other venues being tapped are the Tarlac Plazuela in Tarlac City, the Victoria covered court in Victoria town, Sunrise Subdivision, Lapuz Coliseum, Bayanihan Institute, Provincial Capitol gym, Hacienda Luisita, Paniqui Court, San Sebastian Court, Diwa ng Tarlac Park, Nolcom Park, Don Bosco, San Isidro Covered Court, CLDH Covered Court, San Rafael Covered Court and the Ecumenical Christian College. (FREEMAN NEWS)