PANABO, Davao del Norte -- A safe arrival though still looking for a comfortable place to relax before the week-long action begins.
The 676-strong Northern Mindanao Regional Athletic Association (NMRAA) delegates, aboard 13 Rural Transit buses, safely arrived here on Sunday night.
Just one week left and they will compete in the 2015 National Students Meet Palarong Pambansa set to be held May 4-10 in the fast-thriving district of Tagum City, which is a 20-minute ride from Panabo City Central School where the NMRAA athletes, coaches and officials are being quartered.
But while the host teachers at PCCS quickly distributed bed sheets made of foams, blanket and pillow to the visitors, minor glitches have yet to be experienced brought by the lack of sleeping rooms and the absence of electric fan in some of the billeting quarters.
"Actually, naay kapin sa 100 ka mga rooms ang available pero na-overlook sa advance party at least 45 lang ang na-request sa atong region mao nga ato pa `ning hapsayon karon," explained NMRAA staff Rodulfo Angulo as he tried to negotiate the transfer of secondarfy girls basketball team to a more convenient room being temporarily occupied by the chess players' coaches.
Temperature rose yesterday as the biting heat of the sun had been anticipated to make life difficult for the Palaro contestants especially the older coaches who will be exposed in sun-bathed playing venues such as football, baseball and volleyball.
"Open kaayo sa init among dulaan pero magpalayo mangita gyod ko'g landong panahon sa dula kay taas akong dugo. Delikado gyod ang sama kanako nga edaran ining panahon karon nga grabe gyod ka init," said the 50-something baseball coach Leonardo Pon of Misamis Oriental.
The NMRAA's city school board in-charge Stephen "Popong" Dacoco, however, assured that the Cagayan de Oro athletes and coaches who composed the biggest bulk of NorMin delegation will be motivated enough to give their best come Palaro hostilities, owing to the dramatic increase of their training and food allowances.
"With Cagayan de Oro Mayor Oscar S. Moreno giving his full support, dili kaayo apiki ang resources karon sa atong mga atleta maka-diskarte gyod atong mga coaches. Although, this is just a start of a very good sports program nga atong gi-presentar sa mayor," the youthful Dacoco told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.