DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/04 April) — It’s all systems go for the 2011 Davao Region Athletic Association (Davraa) Meet on April 10 to 14, the Department of Education (DepEd) in Region XI said.
Jocelyn Dela Costa, DepEd’s Physical Education and School sports supervisor, said this year’s multi-sports competition will be played in Compostela Valley and Tagum City.
“We are ready to hold the games,” Dela Costa told MindaNews.
Mati City in Davao Oriental hosted the games last year.
Up to 15 sport disciplines will be contested in the weeklong competition which serves as the selection pool for the Palarong Pambansa slated May 8 to 14 in Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte.
“This would be a selection of the best athletes in elementary and secondary [levels],” said Dela Costa of the event that will draw student athletes from Davao del Norte, Tagum City, Panabo City, Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley, Davao del Sur, Digos City, Island Garden City of Samal and Davao City.
Medal-rich swimming and athletics will be played in Compostela Valley and basketball and football in Tagum City.
Davao City is the defending champion in both the elementary and secondary categories.
As part of the preparation, DepEd will hold a refresher course for game officials on April 7 and 8 in Tagum City.
“After that, a coaches meeting will be conducted in Comval and Tagum separately on April 9 before the formal opening,” Dela Costa said.
All sport events shall be played in accordance with the international rules and regulations, a DepEd memorandum issued on January 27, 2011 said.
Meanwhile, Dapitan City is ready to host this year’s Palarong Pambansa, according to former congressman Romeo Jalosjos, the 2011 Palaro executive committee chair.
In a statement posted on the official website of Dapitan, Jalosjos said the construction of the palaro sports facilities and venues will be finished on time.
He said that as much as P300 million has already been spent for the construction and renovation works on the facilities.
Around 10, 000 athletes and officials are expected to troop to the Shrine City for the event. (Rico Biliran/MindaNews)
