Batang Pinoy Mindanao leg under way
THE MINDANAO qualifying leg of the Philippine Olympic Committee-Philippine Sports Commission Batang Pinoy Games will fire off tomorrow in Dapitan City with 13 local government units fielding their best young talents in the four-day competition.
About 1,000 participants will compete in 10 sports with the top athletes qualifying for the national championship set in Iloilo City on Dec. 5 to 8.
Dapitan Mayor Patri Bajamunde-Chan will lead today’s opening ceremony at Jose Rizal Memorial State University Sports Complex.
Iligan City, Misamis Oriental, Saranggani Province, Misamis Oriental and host Zamboanga Del Norte spearhead the list of LGUs vying for medals in the talent search program for athletes 15 years and younger.
The athletes will compete in athletics, swimming, arnis, badminton, boxing, chess, lawn tennis, karate, taekwondo and table tennis.
Pencak silat will be featured as a national final event with Zamboanga City, Aklan, Capiz, Antique, Iloilo and Iloilo City aces competing.
“Our region is ready to host big events and let the country know that Mindanao, particularly Dapitan City, is an athletic force to reckon with,” said Bajamunde-Chan.
PSC officials led by chair Richie Garcia and commissioners Jolly Gomez, Akiko Thomson-Guevarra and Buddy Andrada will also grace the opening rites starting at 2 p.m.
