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Palarong Pambansa 2018: Sports at its purest

By MARK ZAMBRANO, GMA News

How important is the Palarong Pambansa? Is it still worth spending more than P300 million every year from the coffers of the Department of Education?

For many student athletes, the Palarong Pambansa symbolizes an opportunity to break out of one's personal, physical and geographical limits.

These athletes play their heart and soul under the scorching sun for the chance to represent their region and bring home the gold, silver or bronze without the promise of million peso allowances or product endorsements.

In this light, the Palaro is sports at its purest, untainted by money and inspired by pride for self, family and the country.

There are stories of runners so used to running and winning on barefoot that they only seem beatable once they put on actual running shoes.

There's 12-year-old track and field runner and high jump phenom Cherry Mae Banatao who cleared a record height of 1.55 meters at the Cagayan Valley Regional Athletics Association (Cavraa) games.

Cherry Mae is considered to be a force to be reckoned with this year and her family is her driving force.

Then there's 15-year-old gymnast Trisha Nicole Nayao from Lagawe, Ifugao who aims to bring glory to her family by competing in an event which a few years back was virtually unheard of in her province.

In the last regional meet, Trisha brought home three golds for ball, team championship and individual all around, and three silvers for hoop, rope and clubs.

The common denominator for their excellence? Adversity.

12k athletes, 40 venues

This April 15 to 21, 2018 more than 12,000 athletes from 17 Philippine regions will compete in the annual games hosted this year by the heritage city of Vigan in Ilocos Sur, their first time to host it.

Forty playing venues were prepared to accommodate the different sports events. The center of all events will be the Quirino Stadium in Bantay, Ilocos Sur.

 

 

The sporting events will be in the disciplines of archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, billiards, boxing, chess, football, futsal, gymnastics, sepak takraw, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball, wushu, and wrestling.

Demo sports include aerobic gymnastics, dancesport and pencak silat.

At the opening of the games on Sunday, sports legends Paeng Nepomuceno, Efren "Bata" Reyes, Mansueto "Onyok" Velasco, Elma Muros, Hidilyn Diaz, Eric Buhain, Eugene Torre, and Gab Moreno carried the Philippine flag.

 

 

Moreno, Youth Olympic Games archery gold medalist, shot the arrow that kindled the ceremonial flame.

Singer Bituin Escalante rendered a song together with the sports legends.

 

 

Duterte: Participate in nation building

No less than President Rodrigo Duterte himself took time out of his busy schedule to address the young athletes on Sunday.

 

 

"Mayor Digong", as he prefers to be called, appealed to the youth to help him in correcting what needs to be changed and to have an active role in nation building.

"More than just a showcase of the Filipino youth's talent and skills in the field of sports, the Palarong Pambansa serves as a training ground for future leaders and national builders whose values and principles are founded on perseverance, discipline, team work, integrity and love of country," Duterte said.

"Being a delegate to Palarong Pambansa is just one of the many firsts in your journey  towards success. Embody good values and enhance your skills for this is the beginning for your participation in nation-building," he added.

Duterte surprisingly stuck to his prepared speech only because he did not want the athletes to stay under the sun much longer. —KG, GMA News

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