CVIRAA meet begins: Dumaguete bids to host 2010 Palaro

DUMAGUETE CITY , Philippines  - Close to 9,000 athletes, coaches and officials attended the opening ceremony of the 2009 Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) Meet yesterday at the newly-renovated Gov. Mariano F. Perdices Memorial Coliseum here.

No less than Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Dr. Jesli Lapus graced the annual sports conclave for school-based athletes.

“We have a very, very, very long way to go for sports improvement but I believe that proper legislation is needed. We should have high school for sports,” said Lapus.

“We must follow a standard sports development program in order to cater the needs of our athletes to really excel in the various sporting events, locally, nationally and internationally,” Lapus added. 

Lapus took notice of the achievements of Cuba when it comes to sports and he said that Cuban coaches are willing to train Filipino coaches and athletes. In fact, a lot of Cuban coaches were already training the Philippine team.

Lapus said in the next meets, they will re-introduce other sporting disciplines such as taekwondo, boxing, arnis and chess.

And with the newly-finished track oval and sports facilities, Dumaguete City Mayor Agustin Perdices extended to Lapus their intent of hosting next year’s Palarong Pambansa, saying that they’re prepared and ready to stage an event of such magnitude.

“I don’t mean that I’m not that happy with our hosting of the CVIRAA Meet. What I’m trying to say is that I am most happy if Secretary Lapus will hear our request to host the next Palarong Pambansa,” said Perdices.

Negros Oriental Governor Emilio Macias II, on the other hand, was grateful to Lapus for taking time to grace the CVIRAA Meet. He was very glad to honor the athletes of Region VII, telling them that the sports must be played clean.

A total of 19 delegations will compete in the week-long athletic meet namely Cebu City , Bogo, Carcar, Danao, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Naga, Talisay, Toledo , Tagbilaran, Dumaguete, Bais, Bayawan, Guinhulngan, Tanjay and the provinces of Cebu, Bohol , Negros Oriental and Siquijor. – Marigold P. Lebumfacil (THE FREEMAN)