THE Davao Region Athletic Association (Davraa) still aims to surpass its 2016 10th overall finish in the 2017 Palarong Pambansa that will open on Sunday at the Binirayan Sports Complex in San Jose de Buenavista, Antique despite the discomfort that its delegates experienced while sleeping on carton sheets since Saturday, April 15 as the first batch of 300 mattresses only arrived Monday, April 17.
Department of Education (DepEd) Jenielito Atillo, in a phone interview with SunStar Davao Wednesday, April 19, said, "We hope to finish eighth overall just like in Laguna Palaro in 2014 but it would really be an achievement to place ninth overall."
Davraa hauled eight golds, 18 silvers and 19 bronzes last year when Albay Province hosted the sportsfest.
He, however, downplayed concerns that the athletes' current sleeping conditions will affect their performance, saying that the rest of the mattresses will soon arrive to cater the rest of the over 600 Davraa delegates.
Atillo added that a circumstance such as this is "normal" in sports activities and that there is no such thing as "perfect" situation in Palaro hosting.
He also said that preliminary games in team competition will be played before the opening of this year's annual Palaro for elementary and secondary student-athletes.
"Not all athletes will join the parade on Sunday as some matches will already be played ahead of the opening ceremonies," he said.
But SunStar Davao learned that sleeping on carton sheets was the only secondary concern of the Davraa delegates. Even before reaching Antique, the athletes have to endure a rigorous trip.
Atillo said that from Tagum City, delegates spent nine hours on buses to reach Iligan City where they boarded a passenger vessel to bring them to Iloilo City. The boat trip took 13 hours.
From Iloilo, the delegation took another three-hour bus trip to Antique.