DAVAO CITY (April 10) — The Department of Education and the City Government of Davao officially signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on the hosting of the 2019 Palarong Pambansa at the Davao City Hall on Monday, April 8.
The 2019 Palarong Pambansa will start on April 27. Around 20,000 athletes and school officials, family members from the country’s different public schools will compete for different events.
Under the agreement, some of the duties and responsibilities of DepEd include:
- Coordination with Davao City for the necessary security provisions and measures, transportation and communications provisions, and other requirements for the event including the playing venues and billeting quarters for the regional delegations and national technical officials;
- Receiving of donations from any third party that shall include, but not be limited to, services, equipment, and financial assistance that will support the operation or that will be utilized for the event, subject to the existing laws, rules and regulations, and properly communicated to Davao City prior to finalization and;
- Conducting technical inspection and monitoring the readiness of the sports facilities and billeting quarters in coordination with the City host.
- The Department shall likewise supply the standard technical equipment, materials, and supplies needed for the different sports events according to the specifications prescribed by the Palaro Technical Management and Games Administration Committee (TMGAC), subject to some exceptions;
- Give uniforms for the technical officials and members of the technical management and administration committee who will manage the conduct of the Palarong Pambansa; and provide technical and funding assistance in the preparation, repair, and rehabilitation of billeting schools for the event.
The City Government of Davao is tasked to create and convene the Local Palaro Executive Committee (LPEC) and Secretariat, as well as other working committees that may be necessary for the hosting of the Palarong Pambansa;
- Facilitate the sourcing of funds for the necessary expenses for the event, specifically those for construction and renovation of sports facilities, billeting quarters, and other infrastructural requirements of the Palaro host and;
- Ensure accessibility to public transportation and communication in all playing venues and billeting quarters in coordination with the proper national government agency, if necessary.
In addition, Davao City shall also guarantee that all roads leading to all billeting quarters and playing venues are well maintained, in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH); provide roving and on-call medical/first aid personnel for the duration of the Palaro; and provide round-the-clock Philippine National Police (PNP)/Armed Forces of the Philippine (AFP) and force multipliers to ensure peace, order, and security of all billeting areas, playing venues, and establishments frequented by delegations.
In a press conference last year where DepEd announced the host for the 2019 Palarong Pambansa, DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones shared: “The three bidders were extremely competitive—Davao City, Zamboanga Del Sur, and Misamis Occidental—knowing that each really prepared, but we have to consider the security aspect, billeting quarters, and readiness of the local government, and one edged out the two, leading to a unanimous vote of the Board for Davao City.”
What’s new?
The country’s premier national sporting event will introduce two side events this year—Larong Pinoy and the Sports Heroes Day.
Larong Pinoy, also known as the Philippine Indigenous Games, aims to strengthen and revive the traditional Pinoy games such as kadang-kadang, patintero, hilahang lubid, and karera ng sako, and will be played by DepEd Executive Committee members, DepEd Sports Officials, local government unit (LGU) representatives, and sports icons.
The Sports Heroes Day, on the other hand, is an important opportunity for young athletes to personally interact with their sports idols and icons.
DepEd Region XI will manage Larong Pinoy, while DepEd-Youth Formation Division and SDO Davao City are in charge of the Sports Heroes Day. Both events will be conducted on April 28.
Briones and City Administrator Atty. Zuleika Lopez, who represented Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, led the signing of the MOA.
Duterte-Carpio in a written message read by Lopez said the city will do its best to “give everyone a Palarong Pambansa they would never forget.”
Duterte-Carpio added, “We have prepared long and hard for this opportunity. We recently hosted the regional qualifying Davao Region Athletic Association (Davraa) Meet for two years to ensure that we are ready in terms of the logistics, manpower, training facilities, sports venues and other preparations necessary for hosting such a big event.’
The city government, will also make sure that hospitals and emergency medical services are ready, that they have a better security team, and peace and order cluster are ready to ensure the safety of both participants and audiences during their stay in Davao.
Briones thanked the city government for hosting the palaro 2019.
DepEd XI spokesperson Jeneto Atillo said about 20,000 participants and their families, coaches and officials are expected to join the Palaro.
Atillo said the Palaro is the biggest non-academic event of DepEd.
Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William ‘Butch’ Ramirez said his agency is supporting the Palaro “Being the only genuine grassroots sports program here. We are here to supported Deped and the city of Davao,”
Among those who witnessed the signing include: Usec. Annalyn M. Sevilla, Usec. Atty. Revsee A. Escobedo, Asec. G.H. S. Ambat, Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William I. Ramirez, Regional Director Atty. Alberto T. Escobarte, SDS Dr. Ines Asuncion, and other officials of DepEd and the City Government of Davao.-ezCADUAYA/NewsLine.ph
