All roads lead to Milolympics 2010
PRACTICALLY all major schools and universities in Cagayan de Oro are now in full swing preparing for this year's 2010 Mindanao Milo Little Olympics.
Even public schools are equally keen on having their student athletes in elementary and secondary levels compete in the week-long meet set in the later part of this month at the Don Gregorio Pelaez Sports Center in Cagayan de Oro City.
"Although dominant ang mga private schools in competition like this because of their varsity players...aduna usay pipila ka events nga maka-away usab atong mga atleta from public schools," said Angelito Felicilda, a youthful public school principal from one of the far-flung barangays in the city.
To Corpus Christi School, the city's so-called home of champions, the Milolympics is quite relevant the excitement it could generate can't be compared even with the local Palaro games.
"Lahi ang Little Olympics kon ikompara sa Prisaa (Private Schools Athletic Association) ug Cosaa (Cagayan de Oro Schools Athletic Association) kay gawas nga aduna kitay mga bisita ining tungora from other places...attractive ang mga benefits nga ma enjoy sa mga partisipante. Of course, the regional meet's euphoria is another thing," opined CCS sports coordinator Eric Miguel.
Unlike in the past, however, local Milo sports coordinator Megdonio Llavera revealed that the MVP award worth P5,000 each for outstanding athlete per event will no longer be disputed in the regional level.
"Instead, it will be awarded during the 2nd Milo Little Olympics National Finals that will be hosted by the province of Misamis Oriental probably in October of this year," said Llamera in a statement.
Deadline for registration in the regional level is set on July 26. This way, Llamera said the secretariat and screening committees will find enough time to evaluate those qualified only to compete in Milo's 12 sporting events, namely swimming, athletics, badminton, chess, football, gymnastics, lawn tennis, scrabble, sepak takraw, table tennis, taekwondo and volleyball.
Llamera said participating schools are required to participate in at least three sports disciplines.
Also, the schools are to submit to the secretariat a gallery of photographs indicating the individual players in every event they will be participating in.
Birth certificates from the National Statistics Office are also compulsory for screening purposes. (With UCQ reports)