TACLOBAN CITY— For the young and promising athletes of Central Visayas, the time has come for them to show off what they’ve been preparing for in the past months.

“It’s been a while since I started my boxing career but this is the first time that I will be playing in the Palarong Pambansa,” said 16-year-old Lorenz Michael Romarate of Mandaue City, one of the athletes of the Central Visayas delegation which is hoping to improve its fourth place finish in the previous edition of the annual meet.

Romarate earned a slot to the Palarong Pambansa after winning the gold medal in the 48 kg division in the Central Visayas Regional Athletics Association (CVIRAA) meet in Dumaguete City.

“I am very confident that I will win this year’s gold medal. I am not ashamed to say that because I am confident and have faith on myself,” Romarate added.

The 2009 Palarong Pambansa, a multi-sporting event that pits the best young athletes of the country, kicks off some of its games in athletics, boxing and sepak takraw today at the Leyte Sports Development Center.

The formal opening, originally set yesterday, was moved to tomorrow to give way to the attendance of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who will be officially opening this year’s games.

Despite the minor schedule change, Leyte governor Carlos Jericho Petilla said the schedules of the games won’t be affected but the closing, which was originally set for May 2, will also be moved to May 3.

Starting off their campaign today will be the athletics squad of CV, which will be aiming for the 11 gold medals up for grabs today.

Like Romarate, the region’s spikers in the elementary division also expressed their confidence and desire to win this year's title, according to second-timer Danica Molina.

The Catmon elementary squad, representing Cebu Province, tasted their first championship in the Palarong Pambansa behind efforts of Catherine Marquez, Athena Sucalit. But both are now playing for Central Visayas’ secondary squad.

Meanwhile, Petilla said they are giving cash incentives worth P15,000 to athletes who can win a gold for Eastern Visayas.

This move aims to serve as a morale-booster for the athletes of the region. EV usually finishes at the bottom of the standings along with ARMM. The National Capital Region (NCR) is the defending champion in this year’s meet.

This will be one of the biggest events that the Leyte Province will be hosting as more than 10,000 spectators and visitors are expected to flock at the newly renovated Leyte Sports Development Center. /Correspondent Iste Sesante-Leopoldo