WITH the overlapping schedule for the annual Baguio Flower Festival, the Department of Education–Cordillera (DepEd-CAR) has decided to move the regional sports meet an earlier date.
“In view of the rescheduling of the annual Panagbenga Festival of Baguio City, the 2020 Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association (Caraa) Meet is now moved to March 22 to 27, 2020 instead of the recently announced March 24 to 28, 2020,” DepEd–CAR posted in their Facebook page.
This new schedule, added the announcement, will give way to the grand opening parade of Panagbenga on the 21st and the grand street and grand float parade on the 28th and 29th, respectively.
“The Caraa opening program will be in the afternoon of March 22 while the closing program will be in the afternoon of the 27th,” the announcement read.
However, DepEd–CAR said these dates may still change depending on the advisories or health bulletins coming from the Department of Health and DepEd Central Office relative to the coronavirus disease (Covid–19) concern.
Due to the Covid–19 health concern, Caraa which was earlier slated February 16 to 21 was moved to March 24 to 28.
But due to the postponement of the Panagbenga to March, DepEd made the date adjustment.
The decision of the Caraa board to reset the conduct of the regional sports competition is in adherence with the recent pronouncement of Education Secretary Leonor Briones through Department of Education Memorandum No. 15, series of 2020, stating all regional and national events scheduled for this month will be suspended and postponed, especially events that allow congregation of huge number of learners and personnel such as regional sports events and the National Schools Press Conference, among others.
Baguio City will once again host the largest gathering of close to 7,000 student athletes for elementary and high school including officials and other delegates from Abra, Apayo, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, and Tabuk City.
From 2015 to 2017, Baguio also hosted the regional sports competition before Abra took over in 2018 and Apayao last year.
Caraa serves as a venue where deserving athletes from the different provinces competing in various sports disciplines will be selected to serve as the region’s representatives in the Palarong Pambansa that will be held in Marikina City.