DESPITE the pressure to perform better on homecourt, host Private Schools Athletic Association (Prisaa) 11 aims to retain its overal third place as the National Prisaa Games (NPG) 2019 opens at 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 19, at the University of Mindanao (UM) track oval in Matina, Davao City.
National Prisaa president Ma. Lita Montalban, who is also president of the Davao City Prisaa and Prisaa 11, said, Davao region was second in high school division and third in college division.
“Whether we move or maintain, we’re praying bahala na di makuha ang number one basta successful lang ang conduct of the National Prisaa Games,” she said during Thursday’s Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) Forum at The Annex of SM City Davao.
Prisaa 11 executive director Joaquin “Boy” Sarabia, for his part, said that it would be best not to make predictions although he said the region’s athletes have been preparing for the PNG.
It can be recalled the Davao region harvested a total of 83 golds, 76 silvers and 106 bronzes to place third in the NPG 2018 held in Tagbilaran City, Bohol.
Western Visayas was overall champion having hauled 219 golds, 110 silvers and 107 bronzes while Central Visayas collected 194 golds, 92 silvers and 73 bronzes.
Sarabia said, “Our best finish in the National Prisaa Games so far was second in Zamboanga before.”
Davao region is defending champion in men’s baseball, women’s basketball and men’s sepak takraw events.
A total of 19 sports and five academic and cultural events are entered in the Games being supported by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (Ched) and City Government of Davao.
Sunstar Davao is the official media partner of the NPG 2019. Its coverage is made possible by major sponsors Matina Enclaves, Santos Land Development, 8890 Holdings, Inc., Anflocor, Sky Cable and Pagcor and minor sponsors Aeon Luxe Properties, Davao Doctors College, GH Office Depot, Grand Land, Inc., Alu Hotel, Davao Medical School Foundation, NCCC and Office of the Special Assistant to the President.