AFTER Wednesday's deadline for the submission of entries to the Philippine Olympic Committee-Philippine Sports Commission (POC-PSC) Philippine National Games (PNG) set in Manila on July 2 to 7, an officer of the Sports Development Division of the City Mayor's Office (SDD-CMO) said Davao City's delegation was already submitted and confirmed.
SDD-CMO's Cholo Elegino verified this during the recent edition of the Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) Forum at The Annex of SM City Davao.
"The deadline was yesterday afternoon (Wednesday) and I already submitted all the entries. They already confirmed the entries," Elegino said.
rWith the lineup submitted, Davao City will field a 74-member delegation set to compete in judo, dancesports, lawn tennis, cycling, arnis, sepak takraw and rugby football.
"Our flight going to Manila will be on July 2 in time for the opening ceremony and solidarity meeting while our flight home will be on July 7. Our primary concern now is the weather since I believe there is an upcoming typhoon. If ever the PNG may be cancelled or postponed, we can't do anything because we are after the safety of the athletes," Elegino said.
The SDD-CMO staff, however, said they have yet to confirm their flight details while the billeting areas for the athletes have yet to be finalized. But he was quick to add that they will be able to arrange everything for the athletes so that they would be focused on the competition at hand.
There has been a change however in the arnis event, as Arnis Philippines has instead scheduled a Luzon Qualifying Leg on July 1 to 6. The Visayas leg will on September 9 to 15 while the Mindanao leg is on November 9 to 14. The nationals is set sometime in 2016.
"When I submitted the entries, it says there 'Thank you for joining the PNG. Note: Arnis will be played on all PNG legs.' It doesn't say there that we are not allowed. So from what I see, we could join the Luzon, Visayas or Mindanao legs. It would then be our choice on what leg should we join and where can we perform better and have better chances of winning," Elegino said.
He also said that the arnis team has made no pronouncement to back out from the PNG,hence, they will still send the team to compete.
Davao City's judo delegation, Elegino added, also requested to extend their stay in Manila until July 8 as the team is reportedly set to compete in a junior age group competition.