DAGUPAN CITY (PIA) – The Region 1 Athletic Association (R1AA) Meet will open on Sunday, May 14 at the Virgen Milagrosa University Foundation (VMUF) in San Carlos City, Pangasinan with almost 6,000 participating learner-athletes who are expected to give their best performances in various sports events.
 
Department of Education (DepEd) Ilocos Regional Director Tolentino G. Aquino said the event inculcates the significance of sports competitions as one of the vital elements of basic education in preparing learners to face life’s challenges through leadership, teamwork, patience, accountability, and self-confidence.
 
The highly anticipated regional sports event will be hosted by DepEd-Schools Division Office (SDO) of San Carlos City led by Schools Division Superintendent Sheila Marie A. Primicias and the City Government of San Carlos led by Mayor Julier C. Resuello, and supported by the Provincial Government of Pangasinan led by Governor Ramon V. Guico III.
 
Playing venues are now ready to accommodate the competing teams representing the 14 SDOs across the Ilocos region namely, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, La Union, Alaminos City, Batac City, Candon City, Dagupan City, Laoag City, San Carlos City, San Fernando City, Urdaneta City, Vigan City, Pangasinan I, and Pangasinan II.
 
A total of 19 regular sports events shall be competed in by elementary learners while 25 sports events are for the secondary learners, both from public and private schools, who won during their cluster, district, and division meets.
 
Two demonstration events, namely dance sports and pencak silat, will also be participated by the athletes while there are five Para Games for learners with disability.
 
All 25 billeting schools in San Carlos City are ready to house the 5,901 learner-athletes and 3,468 coaches, chaperons, and delegation officials.
 
On May 8, DepEd Ilocos Regional Director Aquino and Assistant Regional Director Rhoda T. Razon with regional office personnel checked the billeting schools and  inspected water supply and other utilities to ensure the safety and comfort of the contingents.
 
The week-long games will have its closing program on May 19 at the VMUF Events Center.
 
R1AA is an annual scholastic multi-sport competition in the Ilocos region bringing together learner-athletes from different schools to compete in various sports events.
 
A Pre-National Qualifying Meet, an additional tier before the conduct of the Palarong Pambansa, is introduced this year for team sports namely baseball, basketball, football, futsal, speak takraw, football, and volleyball.
 
The qualifying meet of Cluster 1 will be conducted and hosted by the local governments of Laoag City and Ilocos Norte by July 17-21, 2023.
 
It will be participated by the following regions: Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and the Cordillera Administrative Region.
 
The pre-qualifying meet aims to lessen the number of delegations, shorten the duration of the event, and lower the expenses, without sacrificing the level of play.
 
The modified competition format seeks to prevent the disruption of classes and observe minimum public health and safety protocols and relevant guidelines earlier issued. (JCR/AMB/PIA Pangasinan)