4,000 athletes chase honors in National PRISAA

MANILA, Philippines – Elite college athletes from 17 regions nationwide see action in the 2012 Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) National Collegiate Games unfolding Sunday at the Javellana Sports Complex in Cebu City.

Close to 4,000 athletes and officials from over 400 member schools will be vying for top honors in the meet, considered the longest-running sportsfest at the collegiate level, being held in the “Queen City of the South,” according to PRISAA chairman Dr. Emmanuel Angeles in yesterday’s PSA Forum at Shakey’s UN Ave.

A total of 17 disciplines – seven team sports and 10 individual events – are scheduled in the event backed by Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and Cebu Mayor Mike Rama, said PRISAA secretary general Boy Santos, who joined Angeles in the forum.

Santos said the team events are men’s baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s beach volleyball, men’s football, men’s sepak takraw, women’s softball and men’s and women’s volleyball.

Also on tap are men’s and women’s track and field, men’s and women’s badminton, men’s boxing, which is making its second appearance in the PRISAA Games, men’s and women’s chess, dance sports, men’s and women’s karatedo, men’s and women’s lawn tennis, men’s and women’s swimming, men’s and women’s table tennis, and men’s and women’s taekwondo, Santos added.

Angeles also took the occasion to thank businessman Manny V. Pangilinan in accepting his appointment as honorary chairman of the event, and telecom giant Smart for supporting the sports spectacle featuring the cream of collegiate sports in the land.

“We would like to express our gratitude to Mr. Pangilinan in accepting the position as honorary chairman of the PRISAA National Collegiate Games, which is a recognition of the role this sportsfest plays in the country’s sports development program,” he said.

“We are proud to say that our athletes represent the best in their respective sports since they have to compete first at the division and district level then at the regional PRISAA meets before they can represent their region in the nationals,” noted the former Commission on Higher Education chairman.

Both PRISAA officials were proud that some of the country’s top national athletes were former PRISAA standouts, including track star Lydia de Vega, multi-titled swimmer Eric Buhain and towering national and ex-pro EJ Feihl.

Setting the PRISAA apart from other multi-sport competitions, Angeles added, was the “Mutya ng PRISAA” pageant featuring the muses of the 17 regions represented, who are chosen both for their beauty and brains. .

“These muses get to display their unique talents during a Talent Night that plays a huge part in their being chosen as ‘Mutya ng PRISAA,’” Angeles said.

Angeles said among PRISAA’s future projects is to explore sports linkages with its counterparts in Asia, particularly in Australia and China, to boost the performances of its student-athletes.