Palaro opens today in Iloilo

ILOILO — With the Department of Education again taking charge as organizer, the 2005 Palarong Pambansa opens today with elaborate opening rites at the Iloilo City Sports Complex here.

Iloilo native Senate President Franklin Drilon, who allotted a big chunk from his social funds to help bankroll this annual event for student athletes, is the special guest in the opening ceremonies also featuring the traditional parade of some 8,000 athletes, coaches and officials from 17 participating regions.

DepEd Secretary Florencio Abad and Philippine Sports Commission officer-in-charge William "Butch" Ramirez are also expected to grace the occasion which will be highlighted by a gala of award-winning festival dances to be performed by the "Pintados de Pasi," Sta. Barabara’s "Kahilwayan," and "Tribu Silak" of the Iloilo National High School – top three winners of the Aliwan Festival in Manila.

The week-long event marked the first time that the DepEd, through the recently revived Bureau of Physical Education and School Sports, will be supervising the meet since its transfer to the PSC five years ago through Republic Act 9155.

Ramirez said the PSC will just provide the technical know-how in running the meet. "The PSC is still here to help, but generally, it’s the DepEd which is running the show," Ramirez said.

The Palaro, a multi-sports event aimed at discovering promising talents from the grassroots, is also returning to this beautiful Panay Island city for the first time since 1991 or some 14 years since Iloilo hosted one of the best Palaro events ever.

Despite a short preparation of just a month, host Governor Niel Tupas Sr. and City Mayor Jerry Trenas are unfazed.

"It’s all systems go," said Tupas after personally inspecting the venues and the billeting areas for all 17 delegations, which have arrived as early as Tuesday.

Expected to fight it out for the overall championship are traditional contenders National Capital Region and Central Visayas, which both skipped the Palaro in Tubod, Lanao del Norte two years ago due to security concerns.

In the absence of the Big City bets, Southern Mindanao topped the competition with its strong showing in swimming.

Action in 17 sports disciplines starts tomorrow with medal-rich athletics and swimming, badminton, secondary football, gymnastics, sipa, taekwondo and secondary volleyball set at the city’s well-maintained sports complex.

Other events are spread citywide and nearby towns like Oton, which hosts the archery contests, and Pavia the baseball event.

Other venues are the University of San Agustin ground (elementary baseball), Jaro Plaza Gym (boxing), SM City (chess), La Paz Plaza (elementary football), Central Philippines University Gym (lawn tennis), Molo’s North Fundidor Gym (sepak takraw), West Visayas State U (softball), SM food court (table tennis) and the WIT New Site (throwing events).