Mayor Sebastian "Baste" Duterte will lead the send-off ceremony of Davao City's delegation to the Philippine National Games (PNG) and Batang Pinoy national championships at 8 a.m. on Friday, December 8, 2023, at the Almendras Gym Davao City Recreation Center (DCRC).
A reminder message was sent on the evening of December 6, 2023, by a staff member of the Sports Development Division of the City Mayor's Office (SDD-CMO) to coaches, emphasizing the importance of the send-off ceremony.
The ceremony, according to the SDD-CMO message, is expected to be attended by Duterte, Vice Mayor Melchor J. Quitain Jr., and department heads as guests.
The message from SDD-CMO urged coaches to inform their athletes about the event.
"Coaches, please inform your athletes na dapat nasa event din sila lahat (Coaches, please inform your athletes that they must all be at the event as well," the SDD-CMO message said. "Kailangan ho namin ang cooperation ng bawat coaches and athletes (We need the cooperation of the coaches and athletes)."
House rules and vital details about their Manila trip and billeting, and other essential information will also be discussed during the send-off activity for the PNG and Batang Pinoy scheduled on December 17 to 22, 2023 in Metro Manila.
Some Manila-based Dabawenyos who are medalists in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (Uaap) Season 86 will reinforce the city's PNG and Batang Pinoy contingents.
UAAP junior boys swimming quadruple gold medalist Ivo Nikolai Enot of the Ateneo de Manila University, in a Facebook interview with SunStar Davao, said: "It feels great to represent Davao City again. It gives me flashbacks of pre-pandemic competitions when I used to represent Davao City and I really miss that feeling. I can’t wait to represent Davao City again."
The 17-year-old champion aims to "bring home gold medals and bring pride to Davao City" in the Batang Pinoy.
Lora Micah Amoguis, a Uaap triple gold medalist in junior girls swimming from AdMU, shared her pride in representing her birthplace, Davao City.
"Davao City will always be my birthplace, and I will always be proud of it."
She expressed her happiness about the opportunity to represent her city again in the Batang Pinoy, just as she did before the pandemic. MLSA