Awaiting the Palarong Pambansa

As this year's Palarong Pambansa came to a close, they announced that Cebu will be the host for 2024. For every Cebuano, it would be their pride and joy except for a few others who are worried about the current state of the city. Don't get me wrong, I love being a Cebuano although sometimes I feel like its small area makes everyone know everyone else. There are issues and concerns that we need to address.

For instance, we are battling daily traffic with the different works that are ongoing. When you reach the Fuente Osmeña Circle, there is an ongoing construction of the Bus Rapid Transit lane and stations. In some parts of the city, road rehabilitation is on its way. This means, traffic will be constricted to one lane and would delay some trips. While the Palaro is slated next year, we have the whole year to prepare and reassess ourselves.

There is also the issue of billeting quarters and even sports facilities. We are lacking classrooms for regular classes, how much more for students and their coaches? I remember during Batang Pinoy when some classes were canceled because athletes needed space to rest and practice. As we speak, the city now has a functioning sports center. The athletes will need a space to practice and prepare for this nationwide competition. We hope that by next year, it will be used for this very big event.

I see the Palarong Pambansa not only as a venue to showcase our sporting skills but as a point of reflection on what we can do for the other delegates. Cebu has a ton of experience handling national events, even international events. Remember that the ASEAN Summit and the APEC meetings were also held here back then? We were in a bit of a limbo but we survived. This is nothing.

The point is for the city and other stakeholders to help fast track the improvement of Cebu. We cannot just keep on waiting on promises that it will become like Singapore; there has to be action from the community itself. Every Cebuano should understand what it means to have a vision to make this city the best in the country, if not the world.

With this in mind, our athletes also have to shape up. In the past months, CESAFI athletes were in hot water for getting involved in brawls. This shouldn't be the case now. Cebu athletes should exude excellence and determination to represent their schools and the whole region. I bet it is going to be an exciting time, especially for sports enthusiasts who have been wanting to witness games like these since the pandemic.

Cebu needs our support in this exciting but risky endeavor. If we are to put ourselves out there, it must be the best foot forward. This is where we prove that we can do things together because we want to be the best. Of course, we are.