SECURITY concerns took the big chunk of the final coordination meeting for the upcoming 63rd National Prisaa Games 2019 at The Royal Mandaya Hotel Friday, March 8.
Sports Development Division of the City Mayor’s Office (SDD-CMO) officer-in-charge Mikey Aportadera Friday said, “We are very keen on security just like in Davraa Meet and Ironman. It will not be difficult for us since we will be using the same platform, the only difference is that the Palarong Pambansa and National Prisaa Games are national. The technicality of hosting it though would be easier.”
He also said that Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte Carpio is “very much happy that the National Prisaa Games will be here.”
The annual games is slated May 19 to 24. The University of Mindanao (UM) in Matina will host the opening ceremonies and most of the events while others will held at UM Bolton, Malayan Colleges Mindanao, Almendras Gym Davao City Recreation Center, Rizal Memorial Colleges (RMC) Petro Gazz Arena, Matina Town Square, Agro-Industrial Foundation College of the Philippines, Tionko field and Brokenshire College.
National Private School Athletic Association (Prisaa) president Ma. Lita Montalban, for her part, said they have coordinated with Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC) chief Benito De Leon, Davao City Police Office (DCPO) director Sr. Supt. Alexander Tagum, Police Regional Office (PRO) 11 director chief Supt. Marcelo Morales and Davao City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) head Dionisio Abudein the past two meetings.
“They are giving us their 100 percent support. We have nothing to worry about our security,” Montalban said.
However, PSSCC security operations officer Major Jose Daniel Kimpu clarified that he was not privy of what had been discussed with De Leon.
Thus, he asked the National Prisaa Board on the basic details of the conduct of annual games as basis for their security plan. Some 7,500 delegates of athletes, coaches and officials from 17 competing regions will converge here.
“We in Davao are very conscious about what has been happening around us after what happened in Jolo and Sulu. All security clusters will be involved in the security plan as we have to secure the playing venues and billeting quarters,” Kimpu, a former Prisaa athlete and coach from UM, said, adding that it would be most helpful for them to have a focal security person from the Prisaa for easier coordination and decision making.
Montalban then assured him that Prisaa will coordinate closely with the PSSCC office.
Meanwhile, a site inspection of all venues is scheduled today.
SunStar Davao is the official media partner of the 63rd National Prisaa Games 2019, which is being supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, city government of Davao, Matina Enclaves, Santos Land Development, 8990 Housing Development Corporation, Anflocor and SkyCable as major sponsors.
The minor sponsors are Aeon Towers, Davao Doctors College, GH Home Depot, Amani Residences, Alu Hotel and Davao Medical School Foundation.