Plastic utensils, Styrofoam banned in Palarong Pambansa

Friday, February 10, 2012

PLASTIC plates, cups, spoons, forks, styrofoam utensils, and other non-biodegradable materials will be banned in this year's Palarong Pambansa, which will be held in Pangasinan.

"Pangasinan’s hosting of Palarong Pambansa 2012 will become the benchmark for the next Palaro and thereafter," said Governor Amado Espino Jr., as the Provincial Government steps up preparations for the Philippines' summer national games.

Have something to report? Tell us in text, photos or videos.

Department of Education (Deped) undersecretary Francisco Varela expressed similar sentiments, saying the national games for this year "will be the cleanest and greenest."

Food distribution will be done in an "environmentally-friendly manner," he added. "We will ask again the regional directors to lead again this effort of preparing their respective delegations to make sure that we will continue this good practice started in Dapitan last year."

The Palarong Pambansa Special Management Committee was in the province for three days from Tuesday to Thursday.

Besides Varela, among those who attended the meeting in Pangasinan were DepEd undersecretaries Rizalino Rivero, Alberto Muyot, and Yolanda Quijano and Assistant Secretaries Elena Ruiz and Armanda Cruz.

Also present were the 17 regional directors led by Dr. Ligaya Soledad Miguel (of host region 1) and their respective sports supervisors.

They were welcomed by members of the Technical Working Group in the province.

Present at the management committee meeting held Wednesday morning held at the Sison Auditorium here were Provincial Administrator Rafael Baraan, Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Calimlim Jr., Board Members Danny Uy, Von Mark Mendoza, and Jeremy Agerico Rosario and the heads of offices and departments. Also present were the heads of the six schools divisions in the province.

After the meeting, the 16 regional directors draw lots for their respective billeting areas, and in the afternoon, they visited and conducted ocular inspection at the billeting school they had picked.

Undersecretary Varela said the budget of DepEd for the conduct of the Palarong Pambansa, including the pre-regional and regional sports competitions that will be undertaken by the different regions is P205.375 million.

"P136.5 million will primarily cover financial assistance that will be given to all the regions for them to prepare and provide the resources and logistics for their respective delegations,” he added.

He said that as earlier agreed upon by DepEd and the Provincial Government, repairs of facilities/playing venues will be the responsibility of the host province. The cost of the needed repairs at billeting schools will be shared by DepEd and the province.

Athletes will no longer sleep at hard floors. Varela said the Philippine Sports Commission is providing around 2,000 cots while the province and DepEd will respectively provide additional beddings.

Meanwhile, Baraan said the province will provide each region a shuttle bus and shuttle vehicles for their transportation; one pig or 40 chickens, one sack of onions, salt, and other basic cooking ingredients.

Provincial Health Officer Anna de Guzman said each region will have assigned doctor, nurses and other medical personnel to complement their respective medical teams; one ambulance will be assigned for each cluster.

Espino said the province was very successful in hosting the 1995 Palarong Pambansa. This year will be far better and memorable to the delegates.

The Palarong Pambansa is scheduled on May 6 to 12. Majority of the games will be played at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center here (constructed in 1995). Other playing venues are in Lingayen, Bugallon, Dagupan City, San Carlos City and Binmaley.

The billeting schools are located in Lingayen, Bugallon, Labrador, Binmaley, San Carlos City, Dagupan City and Calasiao. (Liway C. Manantan-Yparraguirre/Sunnex)