THE organizers of this year's Palarong Pambansa could draw lessons from the officials who handled the 1994 Palaro, the last time the Cebu City hosted the national sporting event.
Cebu City Councilor Joy Augustus Young, in an interview with SunStar Cebu's news and commentary program Beyond the Headlines on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, said the City implemented several "first times" during the 1994 Palarong Pambansa.
This year will be the third time the City gets to host the largest sporting event in the country. The City first hosted it in 1954 and again in 1994.
Young, who was the overseer of the Palaro during such time being the chairman on education and sports committees, said it was Cebu City who was the first host local government unit of Palaro that was able to provide free meals per day for 10 consecutive days for all the 20 participating regions.
Young said the hotels in the city were fully-booked during such time, signifying the successful hosting of the Palaro.
The councilor also recalled the difficulties and challenges they faced during the 1994 Palaro.
But all in all, the City received a positive feedback from the participants, including from the media personnel from Manila.
"They said, it looks like an Olympics," Young said in Cebuano.
The Palarong Pambansa 2024 will take place on July 9 to 16. (Melecio P. Cando, Benedicto College intern)