AMID the threat of a super typhoon, delegates from the different local government units in the country start to settle in Baguio City for the Batang Pinoy National Championship scheduled for September 17 to 21.
Baguio City sports coordinator Gaudencio Gonzales said several LGUs started arriving Wednesday, September 12, to acclimatize ad familiarize with the playing venues for the weeklong sports event catering to athletes aged 15 years and below.
Based on their latest monitoring, delegates from Antique, Dasmariñas, Ilocos Norte, Nueva Vizcaya, Camarines Sur, Pangasinan, Cabuyao, Iloilo, Leyte, Cebu, Koronadal City and Kiamba in Sarangani province have arrived in the city.
“We are expecting more to arrive tonight especially those from north Luzon,” said Gonzales.
Gonzales added the city is more than ready to house close to 7,000 athletes, coaches and chaperons from all over the country with all billeting quarters already furnished with enough beddings.
The Philippine Sports Commission and the City Government of Baguio earlier decided to move the opening of the games to September 17, 2018 instead of September 16 due to the expected onslaught of Typhoon Ompong (international name Mangkhut).
The opening program originally scheduled for September 15 will be done away with and instead a grand closing program will be prepared.
Twenty-two sports events will be played in the different playing venues in Baguio while six sports disciplines will be played in the different venues in La Trinidad, Benguet.
Mayor Mauricio Domogan earlier suspended classes in the pre-school to senior high school levels, both private and public to pave the way for the conduct of the annual Batang Pinoy in the city.
The suspension of classes was done upon consultation with concerned officials of the Department of Education (DepEd) – Division of City Schools several public schools used as billeting areas for delegations from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. (Roderick Osis)