Despite student's death, DepEd won't stop boxing in Palarong Pambansa

MANILA, Philippines - The death of a 16-year-old student who fell into a coma during a regional amateur boxing match won't prompt the Department of Education (DepEd) to remove contact sports in national competitions.

Speaking to ANC's Headstart, DepEd Assistant Secretary Tonisto Umali said contact sports such as boxing would be cancelled only in the regional level and not in the Palarong Pambansa.

He added that the cancellation of contact sports in the regions will still depend on officials.

"If our regional sports association will decide that in their regional meets they don't want to do contact sports, then we will respect that," Umali said.

Besides boxing, other  contact sports  include taekwondo, wushu, wrestling, and arnis, according to the official.

But since boxing may no longer be played in the regionals, Umali said in effect, there won't be amateur boxers who will qualify for the nationals.

Last week, 16-year-old Jonas Joshua Garcia fell into a coma during a boxing match in the DepEd-organized Central Luzon Regional Athletic Association meet in Iba, Zambales.

The teenage boxer from San Miguel, Bulacan complained of dizziness during the second round of his match.

The bout was then stopped and Garcia was taken to the hospital.

Read: Student boxer in coma; PSC calls for safety measures

Citing a statement from Umali, reports on Sunday said Garcia has passed away.

Umali said the DepEd will look at all angles of the incident.

"Meron pong autopsy tayong hinihantay. We will see baka merong pre-existing condition," he said during the ANC interview.

The DepEd official said boxing events in the Palarong Pambansa are managed by members of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines.

He said those who are training them went through an accreditation process.

"They should know what they are doing," the official said.

Umali added that rules applied are same as those in international amateur boxing competitions.

Boxing was included in the Palarong Pambansa in 1994, according to Umali.