Palaro host gets high mark from DepEd

With still more than a month to go, everything is set for the 2015 Palarong Pambansa in Tagum, Davao del Norte.

No less than Education Secretary Armin Luistro yesterday gave the organizers the thumbs up for the hosting of the annual sporting meet for public elementary and high school students set May 3 to 9.

“It’s (the preparation was) way ahead of schedule, there has been no rush on the part of the hosts,” said Luistro during the recent Palaro launch held at the Bulwagan ng Lalawigan in the provincial capital.

Unlike other Palaro hosts, Luistro said Davao del Norte proved to be the “benchmark for the succeeding Palaro” in terms of preparation.

“We were not harassed for this Palarong Pambansa 2015,” added Luistro, who was accompanied by top DepEd officials including Palaro secretary general Tony Umali during the Palaro launch.

Also launched were the DavNor Palaro website (www.davnorpalaro2015.com), the Games’ official music video and a first-ever comprehensive 64-page guidebook.

The guidebook provides details about the games from specifics on billeting venues, transportation, medical assistance, communications, tourism and security, among others.

“It is the privilege of our province to host the Palarong Pambansa 2015, an opportunity that we finally grasped after years of thorough planning and persistence,” Davao del Norte Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario said in a statement.

“This is our time to prove that we have the capacity to host a prestigious national event worthy of being called ‘The Best Palaro Ever,’” he added.

Del Rosario said this year’s edition will “speak the language of the young generation” and will also help promote the province also known as the “Banana Capital of the Philippines.”

The games’ second technical congress was also held as well as the executive meeting of the DepEd’s 17 regional directors and an ocular inspection of the competition venues and billeting facilities .

At least 10,000 student athletes and officials are expected for the event. Marc Anthony Reyes