Ilocos athletic meet opens

LINGAYEN -- A 5,000-member delegation from the 14 schools divisions in Ilocos Region will participate in this year's Region 1 Athletic Association (R1-AA) Meet scheduled March 14-19.

The biggest regional sporting event, sanctioned by the Department of Education (DepEd), will formally open Monday afternoon at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center (NRSCC).

This year's host division is Pangasinan Division II and the Provincial Government of Pangasinan.

The opening ceremonies will start with a parade of colors at 1 p.m. while the program will start at 2 p.m.

Pangasinan II Schools Division Superintendent Viraluz Raquindin and Governor Amado Espino Jr. will give the welcome remarks, to be followed by the ceremonial turnover of the R1-AA banner to Pangasinan to be led by Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos. Espino will receive the R1-AA banner.

The athletic meet was hosted last year by Ilocos Norte province.

In this year's event, guest of honor is lawyer Alberto Muyot, DepEd undersecretary for Legal and Legislative Affairs.

The lighting of the Friendship urn will be done by Stephanie Cimatu, 2010 Palarong Pambansa gold medalist, while the Athlete's Oath of Amateurism will be led by chess wiz Samantha Glo Revita, gold and silver medalist in the 11th Asean Age Group Chess Championship held last June 2010 in Olongapo City.

The Officiating Officials' Oath of Conduct will be led by Virgilio Padilla, coach of the Pangasinan II Schools Division.

Pangasinan II Division Sports Coordinator Enrique Mancayan said the sporting events include archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, basketball, baseball, chess, football, lawn tennis, gymnastics, softball, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, sipa/sepak takraw and swimming.

Main venue is the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center, but other events will be held at the Capitol Resort Hotel ground (archery), Dagupan City Astrodome (badminton), Pangasinan Police Provincial headquarter (basketball and football), Pangasinan State University-Lingayen (softball), PSU-Binmaley School of Fisheries (table tennis), Lingayen I Social Hall (taekwondo), and Lingayen-Pangapisan Elementary School (volleyball).

The billeting schools are all in Lingayen and Binmaley towns.

The participating schools divisions are Alaminos City, Batac City, Candon City, Dagupan City, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Laoag City, La Union, Pangasinan 1, Pangasinan II, San Carlos City, San Fernando City, Urdaneta City, and Vigan City.

The overall champion for several years now is Ilocos Norte Schools Division. First runner-up last year was Pangasinan II.

Macayan said they are fielding athletes in all the sporting events to increase their chance of getting medals. (Liway C. Manantan-Yparraguirre/Sunnex)