Despite rain showers, the enthusiasm of athletes, coaches, and officials from eight participating units remained high during the lively opening ceremonies of the Davao City Athletic Association (DCAA) Meet 2024 at the Davao City National High School (DCNHS) grounds on Wednesday afternoon, February 28, 2024.
During the parade of delegations in a drizzle, units entered the DCNHS oval with balloons and pompoms, some chanting cheers, and others escorted by drum and bugle corps.
When the rain intensified, everyone was directed to seek shelter on the sides.
Undeterred by the rain, tournament managers and technical officials continued to dance during the parade.
Mayor Sebastian Duterte's message, read by Sports Development Division of the City Mayor's Office (SDD-CMO) officer-in-charge Mikey Aportadera, emphasized the commitment to self-discipline.
The mayor encouraged athletes to uphold values of camaraderie, honesty, and sportsmanship.
"Dcaa is more than just about earning a slot to the Davraa Mee in April; rather, the Dcaa is an avenue for you to hone your talents, top exceed your limits, and to overcome the obstacles that hinder your success," he said.
Duterte reminded athletes to respect their competitors, exhibit rectitude in their actions, and express gratitude for the honor of representing their schools.
Reynante Solitario, the Department of Education (DepEd) Davao City Division superintendent, highlighted the crucial role of sports in shaping the character of student-athletes, fostering values such as discipline, teamwork, camaraderie, and resilience.
Meanwhile, Allan Farnazo, the DepEd Davao regional director, highlighted the child-centric nature of the Palarong Pambansa, the regional meet, and the city meet.
"We want you to be better than us. We want sports to be an arena not only for winning and losing but an arena for building dreams, of making yourselves ready for leadership and making you embrace one another as you are Dabawenyos," Farnazo said.
Davao City Information Office OIC Harvey James Lanticse also graced the event.
Competitions for most sports are set to kick off on Thursday, February 29, at various venues across the city. MLSA