THE Association of Local Universities and Colleges (ALCU) in Northern Mindanao will have its first ever ALCU Olympic Games with Tangub City hosting the 10-game competition on November 29 to December 1.
ALCU games will debut at Tangub City Sports Complex in Tangub City.
The competition will include badminton, table tennis, basketball's standard (5X5) and 3x3 event, volleyball's men and women, chess (men and women), sepak takraw, athletics (men and women), and dancesports (men and women) competition.
"Last year, there was an ALCU Olympics in Manila. But it is just the first time in Mindanao to have a similar event and its maiden show will be in Tangub City," said ALCU-Northern Mindanao president Dr. Kharen Jane S. Ungab in an interview with SunStar Cagayan de Oro.
Participating in the three-day meet are the following Higher Education Institutions: City College of El Salvador, Community College of Gingoog City, Initao College, Magsaysay College Opol Community College, Pangantucan Bukidnon Community College, Salay Community College, Tagoloan Community College, Tubod College, Don Carlos Polytechnic College, Governor Alfonso D. Tan College (GADTC) and Northern Bukidnon Community College, which are all ALCU members.
"That's why we're appealing to all the LGU (local government unit) mayors and province governors in Region 10 nga adunay involvement sa maong activity to attend the opening rites of the ALCU Olympics on November 29 in Tangub City as moral support to all the student-athlete participants," added Dr. Mirriam B. Fuentes, technical supervisor of Ched's non-sectarian entities (LUC's and SUC's).
During the opening day, Ungab will lead the Presentation of Delegates, VIPs, local executive officials and ALCU-Northern Mindanao officials and College Presidents for the traditional "saludo."
Some games will be played at 8 a.m. of November 29.
A parade will follow at 1 p.m. for the entrance of the athletes and coaches, local executive officials, ALCU-Northern Mindanao officials, University and Colleges Presidents and the City Mayor of Tangub to the sports center.
Welcoming all the school delegations will be City Mayor Jennifer Wee-Tan with Misamis Oriental Governor Philip T. Tan who will give an inspirational message before the athletes, as well as Commission on Higher Education (Ched) regional director Dr. Raul C. Alvarez.
Rendering an intermission number is the Sinanduloy Cultural Troupe, third placer in the prestigious Dynamic Dance Carnival in Won Ju, South Korea.
Michelle Mangubat, Most Valuable Player (MVP) in athletics during the ALCU National Games 2018, will spearhead the Entrance of the Friendship Flame and Lighting of the Urn, while GADTC sports director Rey Siarez will lead the reading of the tournament mechanics before the Oath of Sportsmanship.
"The Winner Takes It All," popularized by the Swedish pop group ABBA, will serve as "Unity Song" of the keenly-awaited Northern Mindanao ALCU Olympics.
"We're very excited to hold a multifarious meet like this since nawala sa Ched ang tertiary meet nga dugay-dugay sab among participation on technical level as part of the annual Palaro nga exclusive na karon for elementary and secondary athletes," Fuentes said.