MikeLigalig.com

Grand opening for Palarong Pambansa in Leyte

TACLOBAN CITY -- Organizers of this year's Palarong Pambansa (National Games) promised a spectacular presentation involving over a thousand students for the opening of the games here on Tuesday.

The students, from various public schools in Leyte, will present a dance-drama that will showcase the culture of Leyte and Samar during the national games' opening that will have President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as the main guest and speaker.

"The opening ceremony will be spectacular as 1,000 students from various schools in Leyte will perform… showcasing our culture," Department of Education (DepEd) regional director Sol Matugas told reporters here Sunday in a press conference at the poolside of the Leyte Sports and Development Center, the main venue of the games.

For this year's Palarong Pambansa, 2,873 athletes from the elementary level will compete in 25 events and 3,357 from the secondary level will compete in 29 events starting on Monday for the eliminations rounds, according to Matugas.

"It's all systems go for the opening of the Palarong Pambansa…," added Matugas.

Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla of Leyte, the main host of the games, said that P70 million was spent to refurbish the 2.5-hectare LSDC, as well as the satellite venues outside the city.

The venue's Olympic-size swimming pool, measuring 50 meters in length and 25 meters in width and with 8-lanes, was also rehabilitated.

Petilla, in the same press conference, said that venues located at the nearby towns of Tanauan and Palo would also host some games during the one-week event set to last until May 3.

Matugas said that the 2,873 elementary athletes would compete in 25 sports events while 3,357 athletes from the secondary level will compete in 29 events.

The President is expected to arrive at the LSDC at around 10 a.m. on Tuesday to keynote the opening of the Palarong Pambansa.

The President has been scheduled to stay at the venue for just about an hour, Petilla said.

The Leyte governor said that while he did not expect Eastern Visayas to be at the top of the games, he hoped that the local athletes would improve their standings from last year's Palarong Pambansa held at Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

The defending champions in both levels are the National Capital Region with Eastern Visayas landing 13th in the elementary and 17th in the secondary level.

Petilla also said the one-week event would boost the local economy, with the expected high occupancy in hotels, more patrons for restaurants and hundreds requiring transportation.

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=15778.0