Palaro goes full blast; winners to get bonuses

DUMAGUETE CITY , Philippines   â€“ The 2013 Palarong Pambansa goes full blast at the Gov. Mariano Perdices Memorial Stadium here today with the country’s top student-athletes battling it out not only for sporting glory and honor but also for incentives.

Education Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro, FSC, said athletes who will break or set new records and win multiple medals will be rewarded with either cash or scholarship grants courtesy of the private sector.

“This is another facet of public-private partnership wherein we don’t just build classrooms for them, we also help build their character through sports development,” said Luistro.

Among the early donors from the private sector are Nestle, Milo, Smart, Ever Bilena Cosmetics, Philippine Airlines, Aboitiz Foundation, Ang-Hortaleza Foundation, Johnson & Johnson Philippines, San Miguel Foundation and Ayala Foundation.

DepEd has already received pledges in cash and in kind from the private sector amounting to over P2 million to be given as incentives to the top performing athletes. There are also offers of scholarship grants for athletes who will stand out in selected games during the Palaro.

Luistro explained that giving incentives to our athletes will encourage them to push extra hard to achieve their goals. “Reward comes to those who work for it.”

The National Capital Region has been dominating the annual multi-sports meet for elementary and high school students, and last year, the Big City bets finished No. 1 overall with 150 golds, 74 silvers and 69 bronzes.

Western Visayas, the runner-up in the secondary and elementary divisions in 2012, will try to improve on its medal haul in a bid to unseat the traditional powerhouse NCR delegation.

Meanwhile, rains forced the athletes to skip warm-ups but deputy tournament director Romeo Sotto said competitions will still go on as scheduled today.

“The Palaro will push through as scheduled. The whole oval was submerged in water since Saturday. The drainage could not keep up with the rain that’s why even small rains always make it muddy,” said Sotto.

Golds will be staked in the secondary girls javelin throw and triple jump, the secondary boys shotput and long jump. In the elementary side, at stake are medals in the boys triple jump and girls shot put.

 Philippine Sports Commission chairman Ricardo “Richie” Garcia, who is the guest speaker, joined Luistro and Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo in declaring the Games open.

 Action in medal-rich swimming starts tomorrow at the Sen. Lorenzo G. Teves Aqua Center. Organizing the event is the Philippine Swim League, the national sports association of the Federation of School Sports Associations of the Philippines.

Among the other playing venues are the Ang Tay Golf Range (archery),  Holy Cross  gym (arnis), The Court – LP Hypert Mart (badminton),  Silliman Heights ballpark (badminton), Dr. Orbeta Ball Park (baseball), Lamberto Macias Sports Center and Silliman University Gym, ABC Learning Center gym; Valencia gym (basketball);  Atrium, Robinsons Place Dumaguete (boxing).

Chess will be held at the Silliman Hall, football at the Silliman University Cimafranca Ball Field, Gov. Mariano Percides Memorial Stadium; Foundation University Ball Field, Silliman University Ravello Field.