BAGUIO CITY (PIA) -- It’s all systems go for the 2023 Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association (CARAA) Meet and the Regional Academic Festival set on April 29 to May 1, 2023.
Department of Education -CAR Project Development Officer II Evangeline Malag said that the DepEd-CAR and the host city of Baguio are ready to welcome the more than 5,000 participants to the biggest sporting and academic events in the region.
Malag said that at least 3,328 delegates from the different provinces and cities in the Cordillera will participate in the regional sports meet while 2,145 will join in the academic festival.
Malag said that this year’s CARAA will only have 15 sports events to be played in the different schools, universities, and other sports and recreational facilities around the city of Baguio. She explained that the CARAA will only cater to focus sports based on the Palarong Pambansa performance of the region for the past three years in adherence to DepEd Memorandum No. 005, s. 2022.
For Measurable Sports like archery, swimming, and athletics, only those athletes who will meet the National Qualifying Standards will compete in the Palarong Pambansa.
The sports events will be played in different venues - Archery at the archery lane of the Melvin Jones, Arnis at the University of Baguio gymnasium, Athletics at the Baguio Athletic Bowl, Billiards at the 456 Billiard Hall, Chess at the DepEd Baguio, Futsal at the PFVR gym, Gymnastics at the BCNHS Auditorium, Taekwondo at the UC Theatre, Lawn tennis at the Benguet Sports Complex in Wangal, La Trinidad, Wrestling at the Doña Aurora Elementary School, Wushu at the Woodsgate at Camp 7, Swimming and para-swimming at the Athletic Bowl Swimming Pool and the Para-games for bocce at the Baguio Athletic Bowl.
Meanwhile, the regional academic festival will held simultaneously with the CARAA events at the different schools in the city.
Events for the Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) will be held at the n Pines City National High School – Senior High School, Baguio City NHS– Senior HS, and Mil-an NHS.
Academic events for Music, Arts, Physical Education and Health (MAPEH), English, Filipino, Madrasah Education Program, Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao, Science, Araling Panlipunan, Special Education (SpED), and Kindergarten will be conducted at Lucban Elementary School.
Contingents from the different provinces and cities together with their respective officials and other representatives will participate in the parade on Saturday from Session Road to the Melvin Jones in Burnham Park for the ceremonial opening and activities.
Meanwhile, Malag assured the readiness of the DepEd, the city government and the different stakeholders including the safety and security of the participants.
The DepEd and the city government thru the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and the Baguio City Police Office already conducted Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment as well as joint inspection of the billeting and activity venues.
The BCPO has also prepared their security plan which will be implemented with the different law enforcement agencies and augmentation from core multipliers.
This year’s joint conduct of the 2023 CARAA and RAF is the first time DepEd-CAR will hold both academic and sports events in one setting. This is also the first regional sports and academic competition to be held after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (JDP/RMC- PIA-CAR)
