THE free registration Mindanao Online Baseball Camp 2021 is all set to get underway at 1 to 3 p.m. via Zoom today, February 10.
The program will open with messages from Yoshiaki Miwa, Consulate-General of Japan in Davao, a Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) representative, and Department of Education (Deped) Davao City Division's Reynaldo Guillena before the Giants coaches will be introduced.
Training and exercise sessions, infection measures demonstration, and question and answer portion with Giants players will then follow.
Mindanao Kokusai Daigaku President Ines P. Mallari will close out the event while a representative from the Yomiuri Giants will also give a message.
Jica Southeast Asia Division 5, Southeast Asia and Pacific Department Senior Director Daisuke Watanabe, in an invitation letter, said the event, which is being held online for the first time, expects young baseball players, coaches, and parents in Mindanao as attendees.
He said the virtual camp is being held in cooperation with Japan's highly-touted professional baseball team, the Yomiuri Giants, who were also in Davao City in January last year for the Mindanao Youth Baseball Camp 2020.
"We came to the decision that holding a face-to-face sport event is difficult this time, given the concern over the safety of participants amidst the Covid-19 pandemic," Watanabe said, thus they decided to hold the baseball camp online instead.
He said that they are pushing through with the activity this year considering that students and their parents are spending a very challenging time under the prolonged quarantine restrictions.
Watanabe said, "In order to promote health under such difficult circumstances as well as help young baseball players in Mindanao hold on to their goals and dreams, the Yomiuri Giants and Jica decided to hold an online event that introduces trainings and exercises that can be enjoyed at home together with parents."
The camp is also supported by MKD, Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai International School, Deped Davao City Division, and the Bangsamoro Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education.
Interested participants may log into Zoom ID 92718507499 with password 653452.