AFTER successfully hosting this year’s 3rd Milo Little Olympics National Finals, Pangasinan will again play host to the country’s biggest annual, multi-sports competition—the 2012 Palarong Pambansa.
The Palaro is conducted by the Department of Education (DepEd) wherein the best elementary and secondary athletes from all regions compete.
Lingayen, Pangasinan bested three other bidders—Marikina of the National Capital Region (NCR), Laguna of Region IV-A and Mindoro of Region IV-B to host this year’s meet.
And for the first time in the history of the games, the inspection of the host area was done prior to the voting and deliberation.
Vivian Ginete, chief of the Resource Mobilization and Special Programs and Projects of DepEd-7, said this is the thrust of DepEd secretary Armin Luistro because they want to avoid past experiences wherein hosts failed to prepare the venues on time.
A criteria was made in choosing the best host for the multi-sporting event which include first and foremost the readiness of the place to host such an event, billeting quarters, peace and security, food supply, communication, hotels, hospitals, transportation services and even banks.
The four were made to do a presentation on how ready they are to host the 2012 Palarong Pambansa last Nov. 17 during the monthly management committee meeting of DepEd key officials.
After the presentation, voting and deliberation was done by all top DepEd officials, 13 regional directors and Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) commissioner Jolly Gomez.
Regional directors of the bidders abstained from voting.
Ginete said that Luistro also did not want the billeting venues to be located far from the main playing venues nor have two billeting quarters for delegates.
In Lingayen, Pangasinan, the farthest billeting area is about 20 kilometers away from the main playing venue—the Narciso Ramos Sports Complex, which would take about 30 minutes of travel time.
Tentative date of the 2012 Palarong Pambansa is set from May 6 to 9.
DepEd ASEC Tonisito M.C. Umali is the Palarong Pambansa General Secretary. /CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON