LINGAYEN, Philippines – Gov. Amado Espino Jr. has assured the Department of Education (DepEd) officials, led by Sec. Armin Luistro, of a successful staging of this year’s Palarong Pambansa slated May 6-12 at Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center here.
Espino made the announcement prior to the signing of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the province and DepEd last March 14 at the DepEd main office in Pasig City.
Espino said that since this is the second time Pangasinan will host the country’s biggest sporting event, the first being in 1995, the province has doubled its effort in preparing the sports facilities and the various billeting sites.
The governor said the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center, the main venue, is now undergoing massive upgrading from the dormitories to the bleachers to accommodate thousands of athletes, officials, guests and spectators who will watch the national games.
Luistro, for his part, has commended the preparations being done by the host province as he expressed optimism that Palaro 2012 will outdo the past events. He said an environmental-friendly event will be introduced to promote not only fairness in games but also cleanliness in the environment.
“This national games must serve as a formative experience for the athletes promoting positive Filipino values and for this reason our department has started the campaign last year in Dipolog,” he said.
The education secretary also said that the Palaro should not be made a once-a-year event but a continuing activity to develop the athletic prowess and sportsmanship of the youth.
Also, games venues should be constructed to last for years so that athletes can have regular training sites to be used for a continuous sports program.
As this developed, Espino announced that the Pangasinan sports academy will be launched after the conduct of Palaro 2012 as a manifestation of support to the national government’s continuous program for youth development.
“We have started this already with our regular sports activities like chess clinics and we are bound to expand the program to sustain our sports development thrust,” he said.
Provincial Administrator Rafael Baraan said that for the first time all the events of the Palarong Pambansa can be watched live as they happen at the official website of the national games.
Joining the governor in the MOA signing were Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Calimlim Jr and Baraan while Luistro was with Undersecretary Rizalino Rivera and Tonisito Umali, Secretary General of Palarong Pambansa 2012.