227 Davao City student athletes to join Palarong Pambansa

More than half of Davao Region’s qualified student athletes that will be participating in the Palarong Pambansa 2023 is from Davao City.

There are 573 Davao Eagles team delegates for this year’s Palaro. Of the 573, a total of 446 are student athletes from all over the region; 97 are coaches; and 30 are chaperones. They will be heading to Marikina City where the sports event will be hosted.

Of the 446 student athletes, 227 are from Davao City.

On Saturday (July 22), the Department of Education (DepEd) held a send-off ceremony for the Davao Regional Athletic Association delegates the Tagum City National Comprehensive High School. This was after the delegates completed a 15-day in house training and passed health and academic screenings by the National Screening and Accreditation Committee (NSAC).

The send-off was attended by DepEd Regional Director Allan Farnazo, DepEd XI Education Support Services Division Chief Warlito Hua, DepEd Davao City Schools Division Superintendent Reynante Solitario, DepEd XI Spokesperson Jenielito Atillo, and all DepEd Sports Division Officers from Region XI.

Farnazo announced during Saturday’s send-off that an incentive of P25,000 will be awarded to students who will win the gold medal for solo sports categories. In team events, a calibrated incentive scheme has been crafted to make sure that each member of a gold-winning team will receive no less than P10,000.

Although the student athletes are encouraged to aim high and win big, Farnazo said that the enjoyment and good memories to be made at the sports meet are what all educators want their students to have.

“We are ready. We will go for gold. But whatever we will achieve and what we will establish, we will celebrate,” he said.

Farnazo also thanked the local government units in the region for their contributions and support for the delegates.

Meanwhile, DepEd Davao City Sports Division Officer Deony Ferrolino said that of the 227 athletes from the city, 66 are elementary pupils, 148 are in high school, while 13 are competing in the para-games.

Ferrolino said student athletes from Davao City will also receive incentives from the local government. Gold winners will receive P15,000, silver P12,000, and Bronze P10,000 —to be sourced from the city’s Special Education Fund.

The Palarong Pambansa will open on July 31, marking the end of its three-year hiatus due to the pandemic. CIO