FOR the past two succeeding years of successful hosting of the Davao Region Athletics Association (Davraa), Davao City proved that it can also manage national sports event such as the recently-concluded Palarong Pambansa 2019.

The city’s hosting the event was its first since 1950 when it won the bid over Zamboanga del Sur and Misamis Occidental.

About 20,000 young athletes, their guardians, and sports officials and coaches all over the country gathered during the opening ceremony last April 28 at the Davao City-University of the Philippines (UP) Sports Complex in Mintal, this city with President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and other government officials in attendance.

The biggest Palarong Pambansa ever recorded.

Philippine sports icons such as Onyok Velasco, Lydia de Vega, and James Younghusband were also present during the kick-off to give inspiration to the young athletes.

For the whole five-day event, National Capital Region (NCR) held its ground as the overall champion with 86 gold medals, 71 silvers, and 56 bronzes. They never left the top spot for the last 15 years.

Davao Region goes down to rank 11 from rank 9 during last year’s ‘Palaro’ that was held in Ilocos Sur Province.

Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio graced the closing ceremony last May 4 at the same venue and personally gave the awards to the winners and handed the Palarong Pambansa flag to its 2020 host region which is the Occidental Mindoro.