2019 Batang Pinoy set for fine weather

All systems are a go for the Mindanao leg of the Batang Pinoy Games, reports the Philippine Sports Commission’s (PSC) point man for the region.

PSC Commissioner Charles Maxey says the Davao del Norte Sports Complex in Tagum City, the largest in the Davao area, is ready for the Feb. 2 to 9 event.

The President’s daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, is scheduled to keynote the opening ceremony.

The Visayas leg of the national games for in-school and out-of-school athletes 15 years old or younger is set in Iloilo City on Feb. 23 to March 2. The Luzon edition will be held in the city of Ilagan, Isabela, on March 16 to 23.

PSC Chair William Ramirez said Tagbilaran City in Bohol and Ormoc City in Leyte are in a tug-of-war to host the finals of the event before the advent of the typhoon season in July.

Typhoon “Ompong” caused havoc on the Batang Pinoy last year. Several athletic delegations pulled out because of perilous weather affecting the Games meant to find new talent for the national pool of athletes for international competitions.

The Batang Pinoy comes at a time when Ramirez has taken a more active role in the country’s preparations for the 30th Southeast Asian Games on Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.

Ramirez manages the P7.5-billion budget for the SEA Games to be held in several sporting venues in Clark, Subic and Manila. With his hands full, Ramirez has delegated some of his duties to his commissioners.

Hence, along with a national secretariat, Maxey has oversight of the Batang Pinoy Mindanao leg, Ramon Fernandez over the Visayas version and Celia Kiram and Arnold Agustin over the Luzon finals.

Ramirez cochairs the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee with former Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and Philippine Olympic Committee president Ricky Vargas.

By the way, Vargas will appear before the POC Board and the General Assembly on Friday to report on the agency’s 2018 activities and finances, says his media director Ed Picson.

Picson said the boss would “touch on the challenges faced and what programs were implemented to meet those challenges.”

“Nothing controversial, really,” Picson assured. “It (the report) will relate what happened in his first 10 months in office vis-a-vis his list of priorities when he first took office.”