Palaro finally gets underway

Tubod, Lanao del Norte — The Palarong Pambansa annual games formally opens today at the Mindanao Civic Center (MCC) here with some 4,100 sports officials and athletes participating.

Lanao del Norte Gov. Imelda Dimaporo who has been personally supervising the final touches of the preparations for the long-delayed holding of the Palaro said, "No, I did not catch the Palaro fever yet but I am more stressed out by the preparations for President Gloria Arroyo’s arrival to grace the opening of the games.We have been preparing for this since 2001."

The Palarong Pambansa which was scheduled originally last May, this year was postponed three times for security reasons following the disturbances and armed conflict with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels who were eventually driven out and immobilized by the relentless military pursuit operations.

The government and the MILF panel have, in fact, set a date for the resumption of the peace talks in Indonesia.

"I am very grateful to President Arroyo for her support and very firm stand on holding the Palaro here even as this was set back by disturbances from the rebels. " said Governor Dimaporo.