THE Department of Education in northern Mindanao sent its delegation to San Jose de Buenavista City in Antique over the weekend ahead of the Palarong Pambansa 2017 scheduled there from April 23 to April 29.
Dr. Raymund Antolo, chairman of the Northern Mindanao Regional Athletic Association (NMRAA), said the region’s delegation are composed of some 700 athletes, coaches and game officials.
“Didto na kami mag-observe sa Holy Week but kinahanglan nga tua na gyud mi didto one week before the event proper,” he said.
Antolo said the NMRAA is hoping that northern Mindanao would be able to improve its team standing in this year’s Palaro.
Region 10 only ranked fifth with 25 golds, 34 silvers and 36 bronzes in last year’s Palarong Pambansa in Bicol, Albay.
Antolo said the best student athletes in the elementary and secondary levels from all 18 regions of the country would converge at San Jose de Buenavista for the 60th edition of the biggest inter-school competition organized by the education department.
He said the trainings intensified at the Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School in April 1.
NMRAA is preparing for 21 team and individual events that would include wushu, wrestling, billiard and futsal games that are going to be new games introduced in the Palaro this year.
The rest of the regular sporting events to be contested in the secondary division are archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, boxing, chess, football, gymnastics, sepak takraw seniors, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis and volleyball.
The same events will be contested in the elementary division except for archery and boxing.
To be played as new demo sports are dancesports, pencak silat and aquatic gymnastics. (lito rulona)
