Pacman fight delays Palaro opening

DAPITAN CITY—Like the rest of the country, this verdant, laidback resort city stood still as Manny Pacquiao chased Shane Mosley before retaining his title by unanimous decision yesterday.

Organizers of this year’s Palarong Pambansa moved its opening rites to mid-afternoon to allow about 10,000 student-athletes and their teacher-coaches to watch the fight via live streaming on a huge video wall installed on the Jose Rizal Memorial State University campus.

But just before the parade started at 2 p.m., torrential rains soaked the athletes who had queued up dressed in colorful uniforms along this city’s languid seaside.

“These rains won’t spoil the fun for us,” said former Rep. Romeo Jalosjos, chief organizer of the annual games.

“These are the fruits of our collective effort to stage this prestigious event and prove that we have what it takes to accomplish our goal to become the premier sports-tourism spot in the country.”

He said everybody contributed to the endeavor, from the Zamboanga congressmen who donated part of their countrywide development fund, down to the schoolchildren who were each required to bring to class one square foot of carabao grass to cover the football pitch.

Delegations from 17 regions were ushered into the P350-million JRMSU sports complex by men clad in guardia civil uniforms mounted on horses and couples dressed as Jose Rizal and Josephine Bracken to dramatize this city’s historical past. The games also celebrated Rizal’s 150th birth anniversary.

Two Air Force helicopters and one private helicopter hovered around the complex during the opening rite presided over by Vice President Jejomar Binay, who exhorted the athletes to emulate the world’s top pound-for-pound boxer.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro also graced the event, which carried the theme “Enshrining school sports” as homage to the city, which is also known as the “Shrine City of the Philippines.”

Luistro also underscored the “Green Palaro” policy, which penalizes delegations caught littering the venues and their respective billeting areas.

Athletes plunge into action today with matches in sipa, sepak takraw, volleyball, basketball, softball and baseball.
Six gold medals are at stake in medal-rich track and field, while the swimming competitions begin tomorrow.