LEGAZPI CITY (PIA5/Albay) -- Legazpi City Schools Division is now ready for the upcoming Palarong Bicol 2023 which will be held from April 24 to 28 after being postponed due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Sports Division Office Legazpi Sports Officer Francisco Dexter Sison said that Legazpi City is ready for the Palarong Bicol 2023 as well as its delegation. 

The Local Government Unit (LGU) of Legazpi City also expressed its full support towards the preparation of the athletes including the  facilities that will be used for the said sports event Sison said.

Sison noted that the Safety Engineering Office already conducted inspections and identified billeting schools and playing venues that need repairs and improvements. 

"We have already visited all the billeting schools as well as playing venues to check if there are needed improvements. So far, we did not encounter any problem since all the proposals related to the Palarong Bicol were approved, and we have established a good partnership alongside LGU Legazpi," he said. 

There will be short activities prior to the original schedule of the regional meet.

"On April 23, we will be having a short program, solidarity meeting, and Mayor's Night,’’ Sison said.

‘’On April 24, there are no more preliminaries, the game shall commence already," he added.

Modified Palarong Bicol

According to DepEd Region V - Bicol Regional Director Gilbert Sadsad the set up of Palarong Bicol this year will be modified in compliance to DepEd Memorandum No. 5, s. 2023. 

"We need to ensure the safety of our athletes, [since we still have COVID ]  while implementing this Palaro," Sadsad said. 

DepEd Bicol Sports Coordinator Ronald Asis said that the Regional Invitational Clustered Qualifying Meet in six (6) regions has started already.

It aims to determine the best athletes who will compete and represent the region for the upcoming Palarong Pambansa. 

He emphasized that the purpose of the Modified Palaro is to avoid class disruptions, huge gatherings and to ensure an "economical and efficient" sports event.

"We are avoiding disruption of classes, huge gatherings, costly palaro activities, at the same time, it is efficient, very economical and most of all, we raise the level of competition," he explained. 

Sison said that the host before is assigned to only one province, but this year, it is clusterized in accordance to the geographical proximity of each participating schools. 

Cluster A will be SDO Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte and Naga City. Meanwhile, Cluster B will be at Albay, Ligao City and Iriga City. SDO Legazpi City, Tabaco City and Catanduanes belong to Cluster C while Cluster D consists of Sorsogon City, Sorsogon Province, Masbate City, and Masbate  Province.

"Our main goal here is to promote health and camaraderie. I hope that all the participants will remain safe in the upcoming Palaro. Let us not forget sportsmanship and remember that winning is just our secondary goal," Sison said.

Support to Legazpeño Athletes

Sison said that DepEd Bicol in partnership with LGU Legazpi City will provide food during training and transportation fee amounting to P5,000 each in support to athletes, coaches and trainers. 

He added that Deped Bicol will have a year-round training program for athletes qualified along the age limit requirement to further enhance their skills on several sports disciplines. 

"Athletes will have continuous training after the Palaro. It is a year-round training for the athletes as well as the Out-of-School Youths. It is one way of encouraging them to return to school," Sison said. (With the reports from Dianna Rose Badong and Clarisse Gabriel, BU Intern- PIA5/Albay)