PSC reviving Batang Pinoy next month

MANILA—The Batang Pinoy is making a comeback in the country’s busy sports calendar.

Shelved for seven years, the multisport competition for athletes 13-15 years old is being revived to boost the search for future national team standouts.

But unlike previous editions, the BP this time will hold five regional qualifiers leading to the national championships.

Commissioner Chito Loyzaga of the Philippine Sports Commission yesterday said the regionals will be held in Zamboanga City (Mindanao leg), Dumaguete (Visayas), Baguio (North Luzon), Sta. Cruz, Laguna (South Luzon) and at the University of Makati (NCR).

The National Finals is set Dec. 10-13 in Naga City. Last held in 2004 in Puerto Princesa City, the 2011 revival kicks off with the Mindanao leg on Oct. 27.

A total of 15 disciplines, mostly Olympic sports, will be contested.

“We’re trying to identify potential talents as early as possible in preparation for the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in China,” said Loyzaga, adding that out-of-school kids are expected to participate.

The PSC will spend P15-P20 million for the games organized by the PSC in partnership with the Department of Education and the Department of Interior and Local Government together with the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Leagues of Provinces, Cities, and Municipalities and Barangays.

According to Commissioner Jolly Gomez, the BP talent search engine hopes to find potentials in archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, chess, gymnastics, judo, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, wrestling and weightlifting.

Corporate sponsors will also be tapped, among them P & G, Smart, Pacific On-line, Accel, Pepsi-Gatorade, Negros Navigation Super Ferry and Summit Mineral Water.