DepEd gets ready for ‘Palaro’, hopes to discover new greats

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Education ardently hopes to discover a new  generation of sporting greats as it prepares for this year’s Palarong Pambansa, the annual student games touted to draw up to 10,000 student athletes, coaches and sporting officials.

Elementary and high school athletes from public and private schools around the country are expected to participate in this year’s games, to be held from May 6 to 12 at various sports venues in Pangasinan province.

“To me, Palarong Pambansa is a special sporting event. For one, the competing athletes are young students who, from pre-competition preparations up to the actual competitions, work doubly hard to make their schools and region proud. And second, this is where we discover extraordinary talents that bring glory to our country,” said Education Secretary Armin Luistro.

The tournament has been the training ground of some of the country’s sporting greats since 1948, according to DepEd.

The list includes runners Elma Muros and Lydia de Vega, tennis player and now sportscaster Dyan Castillejo, swimmers Akiko Thompson and Enchong Dee, basketball stars  Marlou Aquino, Samboy Lim and Danny Ildefonso, and national football team players Chieffy Caligdong and Kristopher Camcam.

“I always believe in the greatness of Filipinos when it comes to sports. I am confident that a player or two in this year’s Palarong Pambansa will become a world champion in the future,” Luistro said.

Students will compete in the following events: arnis, badminton, baseball, basketball, boxing, chess, football, gymnastics, sepak takraw, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, and volleyball.

DepEd is also reinforcing its policy against the use of plastics and plastic foam as food packaging during the games, a regulation it first implemented last year in hopes of promoting environment-friendly practices.