DAVAO del Norte Gov. Rodolfo P. del Rosario assured that there will be no stone left unturned when the province hosts the 2015 Palarong Pambansa for the first time in the country’s elite youth multisports event’s history.
Del Rosario gave his word during Wednesday’s memorandum of agreement signing with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the provincial government, formalizing the province’s hosting of the annual games after winning the bid by a landslide.
“In our desire to make this the best Palarong Pambansa ever, it will take the cooperation of everyone. Everyone will be involved and every single [local government unit] of the province will be involved. Everyone will be cooperating and everyone will be united,” del Rosario said.
“We’re all united as a province and we assure you with that cooperation, we will host the best Palaro ever.”
The hosting committee unanimously approved the peace-themed official logo and the slogan “Sports: Breaking Borders, Building Peace” for the annual games that showcases the best young Filipino athletes in different disciplines.
“We have chosen peace as the theme of the games, since it has always been the perpetual issue of the Mindanao region. Through this year’s Palarong Pambansa, we will show to the world how sports could be a powerful tool in achieving peace,” del Rosario added.
DepEd Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro said the theme and colors of the games were more relevant than ever with the ongoing peace situation in the southern region of the country undergoing a crisis.
“This is the time when questions and anxieties about peace, and it is the best time to make a move for peace,” Luistro said. “There’s no better way to do that than in sports, where most of our young people and athletes will actually be living out and dialoguing not necessarily word, but, more important, deeds, gestures and actions that is livable, peace is possible, and peace is here and now.”
An estimate of 10,000 athletes and coaches are expected to converge in the Davao region for the games, and the hosting partners assured that they will deliver in securing all of the needs for the representatives from the different regions in the country.
“We will not only secure Region XI, but we will secure all of the routes around Mindanao. All of those entering Mindanao will be secured. There will be total security in and around the game venues,” del Rosario said.
Luistro also lauded the local organizing committee in the province, stating that this is the first instance where a potential host did not need any major renovations to their main playing venues prior to inspection.
“In my knowledge, in the past Palaro, not a single one of those who hosted had the facilities ready by the time we inspected it,” said Luistro. ”I could sleep very well with the fact that the team that went around assured me that all the major facilities are already in place. And if we held the Palaro tomorrow, at least facilities-wise, they are ready.
Diego de la Paz