Thousands of student-athletes, coaches, officials, and Negrenses flocked at the Panaad Park and Stadium in Bacolod City recently, as the 2018 Palarong Panlalawigan with the theme “Sports; Building Unity, Producing Champions” officially opened
This Department of Education-led week-long event aims to promote physical education and sports as an integral part of basic education for the holistic development of the youth to become responsible and globally competitive citizens of the country; inculcate in their minds the spirit of discipline, teamwork, excellence, fair play, solidarity, sportsmanship and other values inherent in sports; promote and achieve peace by means of sports; and select the best athletes to represent the province in the upcoming Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association (WVRAA) meet next year in Roxas, Capiz.
Prior to the opening ceremony, DepEd Sports Coordinator
Romeo Sison said that all coaches and technical officials are required to attend the Solidarity Meeting at the Negros Occidental High School Quadrangle.
Areas to compete in 16 sports disciplines are Area 1 composed of the cities of San Carlos and Escalante, and towns of Calatrava and Toboso; Area 2 (cities of Sagay and Cadiz and Manapla town); Area 3 (Cities of Victorias, Silay and Talisay, and towns of EB Magalona and Murcia), Area 4 (cities of Bago and La Carlota, and towns of Pulupandan, Valladolid, San Enrique and Pontevedra); Area 5 (Himamaylan City and towns of Moises Padilla, La Castellana, Isabela, Hinigaran and Binalbagan); Area 6 (cities of Kabankalan, Sipalay, and towns of Cauayan, Candoni, Hinoba-an, and Ilog); Area 7 (Bacolod City), Area 8 represented by Negros Occidental Private Schools Sports, Cultural and Educational Association, and Area 9 (Negros Occidental High School) and Area 10 ((Association of Negros Occidental Private Schools and School Administrators Inc).
The events to be contested include arnis, athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, chess, football, gymnastics, sepak takraw, sipa, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis and volleyball, among others.(NDB, photo courtesy of DepEd)