Palaro to enforce 4-hour noon break to prevent heat stroke

MANILA, Philippines - Organizers of this year’s Palarong Pambansa are giving participants and officials a break from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 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.

“We will no longer hold games from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. because it is usually the time when it’s really hot,” said DepEd’s Palaro consultant Len Toledo.

This year’s Palaro is set April 11-18 in Tarlac.

The new rule will be implemented for the first time in the history of the annual multi-sports meet for elementary and high school students.

Two deaths and more than three hundred cases of heat stroke were reported during the 2007 edition of the annual meet in Koronadal City, South Cotabato.

“We’re not taking any chances,” said Toledo.

Meanwhile, Manny V. Pangilinan will grace the Palaro opener as one of its guest speakers.

Patrick Gregorio, Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines secretary-general, yesterday said Pangilinan’s appearance in the weeklong tilt is part of Smart’s continuing commitment to help and develop youth sports, including those from far-flung areas.

“We’ll be there to watch some of the events and maybe we could discover some fresh talents we could tap and train as future members of the national team,” said Gregorio, also Smart Sports chief.

He added that MVP is a native of Tarlac.

Also expected to be in the games’ inaugurals at the newly constructed Tarlac Recreation Park in San Jose, Tarlac are host Gov. Vic Yap, newly appointed Education Secretary Mona Valisno and former Dep-Ed and now Trade Secretary Jesli Lapus.

Smart is one of the major sponsors 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.

“Chairman MVP is passionate in his desire to help upgrade, improve the standards of our Palarong Pambansa. Smart is now a dedicated partner of the DepEd and future local government units hosting the Palaro,” said Gregorio.

“At the same time, it will help our NSAs in our efforts to identify talented young athletes for boxing, basketball, taekwondo and maybe in other sports,” he added.

Yap earlier stressed they’ve already implemented several measures to ensure the successful staging of the meet.

“We’ve met all the requirements and we’re all set,” said Yap.

Tarlac is hosting the meet for the first time in the 53-year history of the games.

Sufficient water supply and additional electric fans will also be provided billeting quarters for the same purpose, according to Yap.

He expects around 15,000 visitors, counting some 10,000 athletes, coaches and delegation officials, to visit the province during the Palaro.

“One of the main reasons for our bid to host the Palaro is, besides doing our share in the government’s sports development program, to promote the province of Tarlac as a sports and tourism destination,” Yap said.

Events on tap are archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, boxing, chess, football, gymnastics, sepak takraw, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis and volleyball.

Aside from the main hub, organizers will tap 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 as the other venues.