DEPARTMENT of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Briones is expected to grace the annual Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association meet as a guest speaker when the weeklong sports competition opens in Apayao province.

Apayao will host the Caraa for the second time since the region’s grassroots sports event was organized 30 years ago. It first hosted the event in 2013.

“We have scheduled the opening program in the morning because we know that Secretary Briones does not stay up late,” Georaloy Palao-ay of the DepEd-CAR Public Affairs Division and deputy Regional Sports Coordinator said.

Palao-ay added the organizing committee also prepared a short and simple opening program on February 27, focusing on the province’s culture, people and the place.

The DepEd official, during the Caraa MOA signing last week in Baguio City said Briones will be accompanied by other DepEd officials to visit the schools in the province.

Palao-ay added that based on initial information, Briones will also visit Kalinga schools, after Apayao.

Slated February 27 to March 5, the weeklong meet will feature 23 sports including three new events, aero gymnastics, pencak silat, and dance sports with bulk of the games to be played at the Apayao Ecotourism and Sports Complex in Luna town.

Host province Apayao and DepEd earlier signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to ensure the successful staging of Caraa.

Under the MOA, DepEd and Apayao “will coordinate for the necessary security measures, transportation and communication, and other requirements for the conduct of the 2019 CARAA meets including the playing facilities and billeting quarters for the participating divisions and regional technical officials.”

Apayao’s preparation of the annual sports meet is now in full swing with the installation of its rubberized track oval at the Apayao Ecotourism and Sports Complex located in Payanan, in Luna town. (Roderick Osis)