PRISAA National Games on today

CEBU, Philippines - A colorful and festive show will kick off the 2012 Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) National Games set at 3 pm today at the newly-refurbished Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC).

The organizers are making sure that they will showcase a must-see opening salvo, which has never been done in previous PRISAA events.

The different festivals of Cebu will also be featured with the 'Pasigarbo sa Sugbo' and the different regions will be acknowledged through their respective dances.

Central Visayas' bid for back-to-back titles will be close at hand owing to its homecourt advantage.

PRISAA National President Fr. Vicente “Vic” L. Uy, SVD said the region will have a brighter chance of defending its title because aside from the homecourt edge, its toughest rival - the National Capital Region (NCR) – will skip the annual event for the second straight year.

“Personally, I believe that we have a good chance to retain the title this year without the presence of NCR but we will not be that complacent as we also have other tough contenders for the crown. We will not settle for second place. We will do our best to get the championship,” said Fr. Uy.

One of the prominent personalities who will grace the opening bash is business tycoon and sports patron Manny Pangilinan.

SWU star player Danika Yolanda Gendrauli will lead the oath of sportsmanship, while the lighting of the torch will be spearheaded by three representatives from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Table tennis player Elona Dane Tormis from the University of Cebu (UC) will represent Visayas.

Among the events to be contested in the week-long athletic meet are basketball, baseball, beach volley, indoor volleyball, sepak takraw, softball, football, athletics, swimming, boxing, badminton, chess, karatedo, lawn tennis, taekwondo, judo, dancesport and table tennis. (FREEMAN)