MY Games National Invitational takes off

The newly-refurbished San Andres Sports and Civic Center in Malate has been further spruced up to play host to the colorful and festive opening rites of the first Manila Youth Games (MY Games) National Invitational today.

Music, dances, and festivity, coupled with Ati-atihan drumbeats, a cultural performance by the Manila Dance Center, and taekwondo demonstration, will perk up today’s inaugurals to usher in the first-ever and biggest LGU-initiated multi-event competition for the best 17-under athletes culled out from all over the country.

Manila Mayor Lito Atienza and Buhayin ang Maynila Task Force chief Kim Atienza, together with some of the country’s top LGU officials, will lead city hall luminaries and representatives of the 897 barangays and six congressional districts of Manila in gracing today’s elaborate opening ceremonies.

An estimated 2,500 participating athletes and about 5,000 spectators from all over the Big City, including foreign participants will gather at the center to witness the kick off rites of the games presented by Globe Telecoms and backed by Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, San Miguel Corp., Milo, Red Bull, Philippine Airlines, Super Ferry, Land Bank, Unilever, Speedo, Isuzu Manila, IntrASports, and Concept Movers.

"Let this be an inspiration to the elders to involve their children in sports not for the sole reason that someday they would become sports heroes, but because sports and physical fitness play an important role in society,"said Mayor Atienza.

But before the youth take center stage, Manila’s sports greats of yesteryears, led by swimming’s Akiko Thomson and Eric Buhain, athletic’s Ben Silva Netto, baseball legend Filomeno ‘Boy" Codiñera, and Arturo Valenzona, Paul Alvarez and Gerry Codiñera of the basketball fame, will hog the limelight and give support to the Games.

A cheering competition among the city’s high schools and colleges, organized by Manila’s Youth and Development Welfare Bureau, will highlight the opening rites.

The MY Games National is a collective effort by local sports officials of more than 40 major cities, municipalities and provinces nationwide and will serve as a venue to range the finest youth athletes from all over the country.

Manila’s Youth, Barangay, Public Recreations and Tourism Bureaus, as well as the Public Service, Health and Engineering Departments, including the Division of City Schools, Kabataan ng Maynila and Kababaihan ng Maynila have also thrown their full support behind the endeavor.

Technical experts from various national sports associations and youth-oriented sports clubs have been tapped by organizers to supervise competitions in the event, which has in its calendar athletics, swimming, football, taekwondo, and little league softball and baseball.