Cebu City ready for CVIRAA hosting

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City is all set for the hosting of the Central Visayas Regional Athletic (CVIRAA) meet this week anticipating at least 12,000 participants from 20 school divisions in the region.

In a press conference yesterday, April 29, 2024, the Cebu City Government, Department of Education (DepEd) - Cebu City, Cebu City Sports Commission and other agencies involved disclosed their preparations, and assured they’re ready for the event from May 2 to 9,2024.

The sports event will be live-streamed online, kickong off with the opening ceremony at the South Road Properties (SRP) at 6 P.M. on May 4, 2024.

The assembly area will be provided with at least 300 tents as ensured protection against the heat.

The 12,000 participants are composed of 8,500 athletes, while some others are coaches, and officials.

The grandstand has at least 3,500 capacity. The budget for the opening will be at P1 million, which funds are not entirely from the government.

Billeting quarters

Local School Board Representative, lawyer Kimberly Marie Esmeña said the billeting quarters for the athletes have been set up with a dirty kitchen with respective handwashing areas. It also includes extra portalletes and portabathes aside from the existing comfort rooms.

As Cebu City has been declared under water crisis, it was assured that schools have deep wells as water source and they have also coordinated with the Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD).

The nearest barangays to the billeting quarters have also been tapped for the additional water source.

There will also be an internet connection at the billeting quarters, and there will be enough fans for each room for proper ventilation.

Playing venues

John Pages, chairman of the Cebu City Sports Commission, considers the hosting of the CVIRAA as part of the “historic year for sports” including in Cebu City.

It has been ten years since the city hosted CVIRAA.

“What a great opportunity it is for us to be able to host these athletes,” said Pages.

As for the playing venues, Pages said they have coordinated with various areas and schools for the sports events.

Swimming competitions will be held at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) that is set to open this May 2, 2024.

Pages, however, clarified that it will, for now, only be opened for the athletes and not to the public as the oval is anticipated to be finished this June, 2024.

There are 24 sporting events and four para-games. These sports events are archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball 5×5, basketball 3×3, billiards, boxing, chess, dancesport, football, futsal, gymnastics, pencak silat, sepak takraw, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball, wrestling, and wushu.

The para-games are bocce, goal ball, athletics, and swimming.

Further, to ensure the athletes’ safety amidst the high heat index, sports events will be set to an earlier time or later time of the day.

To also ensure that immediate medical attention will be provided to athletes needing a hospital, a special lane will be established at the Cebu City Medical Center.

Meanwhile, the Police Regional Office-7 is also ready for the start of the CVIRAA, assuring that tight security measures will be in place.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of PRO-7 Regional Director Brigadier General Anthony Aberin, said they held a lot of meetings to prepare for the CVIRAA.

Pelare said there will be enough police force to ensure the safety of the delegates and the crowd in venues and in billeting areas.

PRO-7 has also coordinated with other government agencies for security.

Further, PRO-7 will also allow police personnel from their respective provinces to watch over their delegates.

"What we can assure is that the Regional Director Police Brigadier General Anthony Aberin is very focused on making sure that the CVIRAA will be conducted safely and securely here in Central Visayas,” said Lt. Col. Pelare still. — (FREEMAN)