Davao City Hall Employees challenged to foster health, and camaraderie as sports fest opens

Davao City Officials and employees jointly welcomed the month-long Sports Festival for employees, at San Pedro Square, on Thursday morning.

The opening ceremony was attended by Vice Mayor Atty. J Melchor Quitain Jr., Acting City Administrator Atty. Francis Mark Layog, City Sports Development Division head Mr. Mikey Aportadera, CTTMO chief Ret PCol Dionisio Abude, City Information Officer Mr. Harvey James Lanticse, SP Secretary Ms. Charito Santos, City Budget Officer Ms. Ermelinda Gallego, City Cooperative and Development Office chief Ms. Luzminda Eblamo, and fellow workers in the City Government of Davao.

Representatives of city government offices also waved their banners, wore their sports attire, and cheered for the parade at the start of the fest.

Vice Mayor Quitain, in his speech, reminded every employee present to have fun during the month-long sports event, underscoring that employees should seize the opportunity to bond with employees of other offices.

“We need activities like this because this way you will get to interact with your fellow workers, you will get to laugh with them, you will get to play with them you will see them wearing their sports attire. You see how fun it is when we do activities like this and I am happy that you are all participating we are a full house so that means everybody wants to go out of the office and enjoy,” Quitain said.

Davao City Administrator Atty. Francis Mark Layog said that it is good to see everyone out and active and that it is a pleasure welcoming the employees to the sportsfest after not doing such activity for two years due to the pandemic.

He congratulated the organizers of the event, the Davao City Sports and Development Division, and also challenged the competing teams to showcase good health, athleticism, and sportsmanship during the sporting event.

“I hope you will give your best but do not forget to have fun and make the most of this sporting event,” he said.

Davao City Sports and Development Division Head Mikey Aportadera greeted the crowd by expressing his gratitude for the re-launch of the Sportsfest for employees.

“Duha ka tuig ta kapin wala nagkita-kita. For this year we finally decided to make sure that kitang tanan nga nagkugi kada adlaw, nag sakripisyo kada adlaw magkita-kita tag usab magdula ta in unity as one Davao City (Its been two years since we did not see each other. For this year, we finally decided to make sure that all of us who are working hard and making sacrifices daily will meet and play in unity as one Davao City),” he said.

Aportadera said that with the sports events, employees should not forget the people they are playing against because as members of the workers of Davao City each consist of a team that supports the department heads, the mayor, and the elected officials.

“Ang success sa Davao tungod na sa atong tanan (Davao’s success is because of all of us),” Aportadera said.

He said that next week as the games start, he wishes the employees good luck and to have fun in all of the games as these activities are created because of the gratitude of the city government to all of its workers.

“Ang inyuhang bulan karon para gyud ni sa inyuha pasalamat sa siyudad sa Davao sa inyuha. Make sure you play with utmost sportsmanship..play in the spirit of unity labi na basketball, volleyball, bowling, badminton, larong pinoy, chess and darts gipangandaman namo na para sa inyoha. (This month is for all of you, as a form of thanks of the City to you. Make sure you play with utmost sportsmanship…play in the spirit of unity, especially in basketball, volleyball, bowling, badminton, Larong Pinoy, chess and darts which we have prepared for you),” he said.

Aportadera announced “let the games begin” for all the sporting events between offices, which will commence next week.

Apart from the program, employees during the launching of the Sportsfest joined the parade organized by office, the flag raising contest, and Zumba. CIO