GMA supports Palaro

PUERTO PRINCESA: Support from different sectors started flowing in for the host city of the 2008 Palarong Pambansa, which gets underway on April 20 to 27 at the Ramon V. Mitra Jr. Sports Complex in Barangay Sta. Mo¬nica here.

The biggest backer, of course, is President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who chipped in P49-million augmentation fund for the staging of the multi-event meet for elementary and high school student-athletes.

“I am very thankful to the president for her support. We really need her backing and she never failed us. So, we will not fail her also,” said Hagedorn during the elaborate opening ceremonies for the 2008 MIMAROPA Re¬gional Meet last Sunday.

Also supporting the 17-region competition were the Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corporation and the Department of Education, which shelled out P5 million and P2 million, respectively.

The host city spent P60 million for the construction of new facilities and refurbishing the existing ones, including the 16-hectare RVMJ complex, the main venue and the site for six other sports disciplines.

Some 17,000 guests, officials and athletes are expected to converge for the annual event won by perennial champion National Capital Region last year in Koronadal City, South Cotabato.

The country’s young and pro¬mising athletes will vie for supremacy in 14 disciplines in the elementary level namely athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, chess, football, gymnastics, sepak-takraw, softball, swimming, lawn tennis, table tennis, taekwondo and volleyball.

There are 17 disciplines in the high school competition—archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, boxing, chess, football, gymnastics, softball, sepak-takraw, swimming, table tennis, tae kwon do, lawn tennis and volleyball.

by: Frank Calapre