City girds for 'Palaro'
Delegates to start arriving May 1

By Erly C. Garcia

Fresh from having hosted the West Visayas Regional Athletic Association (WVRAA) Meet, Iloilo City will again be busy these days as it will host this year's Palarong Pambansa.

"We can hardly say that we are really that prepared for this year's Palarong Pambansa but we are doing our best to leave no stones unturned in preparing for the country's biggest sports event," says Palarong Pambansa 2005 Athletic Manager Dr. Eden Deriada, chief of the Physical Education and School Sports (PESS) of the Department of Education (DepEd) Region 6.

Deriada said various committees have been organized to ensure the success of this year's Palaro and proper coordination has already been made with the local government units of the city and province of Iloilo.

Deriada said approximately 8,000 delegates coming from the country's 17 regions will be coming over to Iloilo City for the weeklong Palaro which is from May 8-14.

She said the delegations would start arriving in the city May 1.

BILLETING AREAS

The delegations composed of athletes, coaches, school officials and some parents will be housed in 17 billeting schools.

Region I will be housed in Mandurriao Elementary School; Region II in Sta. Barbara National High School; Region III in Ramon Avanceña National High School; Region IV-A in Jaro National High School; Region IV-B in Pavia Elementary School; Region V in Arevalo Elementary School; Region VI in Iloilo National High School; Region VII in Rizal Elementary School; Region VIII in Baluarte Elementary School; Region IX in La Paz I Elementary School; Region X in Jalandoni Memorial National High School; Region XI in Oton National High School; Region XII in I. Arroyo Elementary School; CARAGA in Jaro I Elementary School; ARMM in Oton Elementary School; NCR in Sta. Barbara Elementary School; and CAR in Pavia National High School.

Deriada said the principals of the schools identified as billeting areas have already been instructed to ensure that the delegations would be properly accommodated.

She said part of the instruction is to make sure the availability of amenities such as toilets, water and power supply.

There would be City Councilors and local governments assigned to take charge of every billeting school.

SECURITY

In terms of security, Deriada said they have already coordinated with the Philippine National Police in the city and province of Iloilo.

Senior Supt. Norlito Bautista chief of the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) assured police visibility in the different billeting schools as well as in the different venues of the sporting events.

He said ICPO policemen would be augmented by elements from the Iloilo Provincial Police Office.

The Police Regional Office 6 would also deploy personnel around the city to ensure the peaceful and orderly holding of the Palarong Pambansa.

It was learned that Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will grace the opening of the Palaro on May 8.

VENUES

Deriada said most of the events will be held at the Iloilo Sports Complex.

It was learned that the provincial government through Gov. Niel Tupas allocated some P4 million to refurbish the sports complex in preparation for the big event.

However, other venues would be utilized like the La Paz plaza for football and the fields of University of San Agustin, Central Philippine University, Western Institute of Techology, and West Visayas College of Science and Technology.

Deriada said they have also tapped the city's three big malls-SM City, Robinsons and Gaisano City-for several indoor games.

"RO-RO"

The News Today learned that delegations from far-away regions would be riding on buses from their respective areas through the "Ro-Ro" in going to Iloilo City.

A DepEd official said this is very beneficial on the part of the delegates since they would no longer have a hard time securing vehicles that would transport them from the pier to their billeting area and from the billeting area to the venues for different sporting events.

It was learned that Iloilo City last hosted Palarong Pambansa in 1991.