All set for PRISAA OPENING

CEBU, Philippines - It's all systems go for Cebu’s hosting of the Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) National Games slated to blast off on April 22 at the Cebu City Sports Center.

PRISAA project director Bernard Ricablanca said they are already a hundred percent ready for the week-long sports conclave.

“We worked hand in hand in order to finalize everything and we made some changes with the venues for it to be more accessible to everybody,” said Ricablanca.

Instead of Danao City, the batted sports will now be played at the SRP baseball field, while beach volley will be contested at newly-constructed sand court of Southwestern University (SWU). The men and women's volleyball will be staged at the University of San Carlos (USC)-Main Campus gym and SWU's Aznar Coliseum, respectively.

Ricablanca said they are cooking up a grand kick-off bash highlighted by the different festivals of Cebu.

Prior to formal opening, the brand new rubberized track oval of CCSC will formally be blessed and inaugurated. Afterwhich, a holy mass will be celebrated by Fr. Vicente L. Uy, SVD, who is also the PRISAA National President.

SWU volleyball star Danika Yolanda Gendrauli will lead the oath of sportsmanship, while three epresentatives from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will do the lighting of the torch.

Highly esteemed businessman-sportsman Manny V. Pangilinan will be the guest of honor and keynote speaker.

The other events to be contested in the week-long athletic meet are taekwondo, table tennis, dancesport, badminton, volleyball, athletics, basketball, sepak takraw, chess, football and boxing

Cebu’s bid to retain its national title got a big boost as powerhouse National Capital Region (NCR) will skip the annual gathering for the second straight year. (FREEMAN)