SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT YEAR!

‘PUERTO PRINCESA TO BID FOR 2009 MRAA’

THE curtains are closed but everybody including the athletes heaved a sigh of relief as Puerto Princesa City successfully hosted the 2008 MIMAROPA Regional Meet with a new hope and a lot of promise for a much better exciting big events 8 days from now.

As the 3,500 athletes and officials bid farewel in a fitting closing ceremonies atthe sprawling 16-hectare Ramon V. Mitra Jr. Sports Complex, tears and happy smile overshadowed the pain of losing and to the winners a bigger task ahead as they are going to represent the region in the 2008 Palarong Pambansa starting on April 20 to
26 at the same venue.

After Vice Mayor Lucilo R. Bayron, who represented Mayor Edward S. Hagedorn,and Dr. Luisa B. Yu, DepEd assistant regional director personally handed the medals and trophies to the victors, the huge crowd, who came to witness the culmination gave a big applause to all in one way or another that contributed for its success.

A big streamer that says “Welcome Palarong Pambansa Delegations,” easily caught the attention of many inside the complex at least it signifies that the challenging task is not yet over, but instead a much more bigger responsibility has yet to be done.

Vice-Mayor Bayron, who expressed Mayor Hagedorn’s untiring effort that made everything possible, led in congratulating the winners along with Mr. Franklin Solina,who represented Rep. Abraham Khalil B. Mitra.
Then Yu being assisted by DepEd officials in the region came forward to lower the banners of MRAA, signaling the end of the fierce but friendly competitions in 14 sports disciplines in the elementary level and 17 in the high school class.

The success, however, cast some conceptions in the mind of top city officials and DepEd personels to ponder over the possibility of staging the annual regional meet for the second straight time here next year.

“It’s been a dream to be here and we hope we will be back next year,” echoed the voices of many athletes and officials from Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental,Romblon, Marinduque and Calapan City.
When Mrs. Leaf R. Miraflores walked in the newly refurbished track oval to extinguish the symbolic “Flame of Friendship, Peace and Unity,” some athletes and coaches from the host city shouted “Hope to See You All Again” next year.