HOPING to inspire more student-athlete, Cordillerans who won medals during the 30th Southeast Asian Games are expected to grace the opening of the Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association (Caraa) in February 2020.
Some 40 medalists in the recently concluded biennial meet were invited to grace the opening of the largest sports meet in the Cordillera on February 16 hosted by Baguio City according to Department of Education – Baguio assistant superintendent Soraya Faculo.
Faculo said expected to join the torch relay during the opening are obstacle course racing gold medalist Sandi Menchi Abahan, taekwondo gold medalists Jeordan Dominguez, kickboxing’s Jean Claude Saclag among others.
“Our SEA Games medalists will be lighting the torch during the opening and we hope this will inspire our student athletes to strive harder during the competition,” Faculo said during a press forum at the Baguio City Hall Wednesday morning, January 15.
And in bid to lessen plastic wastes during the Caraa, the city government will be implementing a plastic-free sports meet with a theme “Stronger and bolder, soaring high Together.”
City sports coordinator Gaudencio Gonzales said athletes will receive a drinking tumbler they can utilize during Caraa and lessen the use of plastic bottles.
The city government recently approved P10 million fund for the staging of the week-long sports competition which closes February 22.
Bulk of the funds will be used to prepare the different public schools where the athletes and sports officials will be billeted and for the preparation of the different playing venues around the city.
Baguio hosted the event for three straight years from 2015-2017, until Abra, boasting of its new rubberized track, took over in 2018 and Apayao in 2019 after its sports facilities were refurbished and the new tartan tracks installed.
At least 6,000 athletes and sports officials will be arriving in the city in the different individual and team events during the week-long regional athletic meet.
Baguio, known as the ‘Lions’ will defend once again the overall title with the city government allotting P10 million for the week-long sports event against last year’s second placer Apayao Eagles and third placer Abra Stallions.
Other local government units competing in Caraa are Benguet Stingers, Ifugao Builders, Kalinga Bulls, Mountain Province Brave Mountainers, and Tabuk City Brewers.
Seven of the biggest elementary and high schools here will be utilized as sleeping quarters for athletes and delegates.