Super Typhoon ‘Ompong’ scuttles Batang Pinoy inaugurals

MANILA, Philippines — The 2018 Batang Pinoy National Championships will now kick off on Monday as organizers canceled the scheduled opening rites on Saturday in Baguio City due to typhoon Ompong.

The decision to forego the opening ceremonies was to “ensure the safety of all participants” while the rescheduling of the start of the competitions to Monday was to “give delegations ample time for safe travel,” a joint statement by the Philippine Sports Commission and host Baguio City read.

A “grand closing celebration” will instead be held on Sept. 22.

PSC chairman William Ramirez and Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan also said in the joint statement posted yesterday in the PSC’s Facebook page that “Baguio City assures participants and delegations that safety measures has (sic)  been taken to ensure the safety of all” and added that “the safety of everyone is paramount to the PSC and the host city.”

The PSC also offered its dormitory facilities in the Philsports Complex in Pasig City and the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila “to any team or athlete who may need to seek shelter in Metro Manila in the course of their travel to Baguio City.”

Meanwhile, Davao City has cancelled the trip of its 301-strong delegation “to ensure that the delegates will not be caught stranded in bad weather,” said Mayor Sara Duterte in a statement posted yesterday on the City Government of Davao Facebook page.

“It is with a heavy heart that we cancel the trip of the 301 Davao City delegates to Baguio City for the Batang Pinoy sports competition,” the statement read. “We cannot compromise on the safety of the children, coaches, and support staff.”

The decision was based on the reports of AccuWeather and PAGASA that typhoon Ompong is expected to threaten Northern Luzon with impacts of flooding rainfall, damaging winds, coastal flooding, travel disruptions and a great possibility of landslides if heavy rains persist for several hours.