With
profound anticipation of her province’s hosting of the 2020 Palarong Pambansa,
Occidental Mindoro lone district Rep. Josephine Y. Ramirez-Sato said last May 4,
2019 in Davao City, “Let us work hand in
hand to ensure our successful hosting of the 2020 Palarong Pambansa. Sama-sama po natin ipamalas ang mainit na
pagtanggap sa ating mga manlalaro at ipakita po natin ang nakabibighaning
kagandahan ng ating lalawigan.” The holding of the national game here is
indeed historic since never in young history of our province we did host an
event of this magnitude.
Since
then, all of us waited for this event, government offices from the Department
of Education (DepEd) to LGUs, including our homegrown entrepreneurs and business
people, those in the tourism sector, practically all of us are excited to be at
the limelight of this huge national event. Of course not to be counted out are our
athletes, their coaches and trainers and the rest of our sporting contingents and the sports enthusiasts like this lowly scribe.
All
is set and ready until Tropical Storm Tisoy (Kammuri) spoiled everything for it
leaves a track of damage in the province. Occidental Mindoro or the whole
MIMAROPA region for that matter is an agricultural area. As per estimate of the
Philippine Information Agency (PIA), 1,528 farmers and a total of 2,639.90
hectares of farm land have been affected, with a total estimated value of PhP
156,524,438.50. Not comprised here is the damage brought to government
facilities, roads and bridges, properties, private buildings and edifices,
among others. With this situation of wreckage and anxiety, it is but proper to suspend such event.
This
quandary held our Palarong Pambansa at the so-called trellis of uncertainty or in the vernacular, “balag ng alanganin.” Just
this week, Rep. Sato, Gov. Eduardo B. Gadiano and Vice-Governor Peter J. Alfaro
went to Education Sec. Leonor M. Briones and had a meeting
on the matter. As of post time, no official announcement yet coming from the DepEd
and the PGO on the province’s hosting of the event that has legal basis in Sec.
19 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution Article XIV. Further, Republic Act No.
10588 or the Act Institutionalizing the Conduct of the Palarong Pambansa was
approved towards this end.
In retrospect, this
annual multi-sport event involving student-athletes from 17 regions of the
Philippines started in 1948. The Palaro, as we all know, is organized and
governed by the DepEd. The education department has the first and last say in
this respect, specifically its National Palaro Board.
The
first national competition was held in Manila in 1948 and formerly called Bureau
of Public Schools-Interscholastic Athletics Association Games or BPISAA. But in
1957, it was cancelled due to the tragic death of President Ramon Magsaysay who
died in a plane crash in the 17th of March that year. The game was
again cancelled in 1972 when President Ferdinand E. Marcos declared the
oppressive Martial Law. Between 1984 and 1987 the event again was cancelled due
to the People Power Revolution.
In
2003, due to growing security problem, the May 4-11 staging of the Palarong Pambansa
in Tubod, Lanao del Norte was postponed because, according to then Presidential
spokesman Ignacio Bunye, “[I]t will be
too difficult for us to let our players go there in a situation like
this," he said referring to the attack made by the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front (MILF) rebels that time where 16 persons were killed and 20
others injured. Instead of May 4 to 11, the Palaro was moved to Oct. 25 to 29
of that same year. It was the time of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Sablayan’s hosting
of MIMAROPA-RAA, the regional game, in 2020 will not also happen because
of the havoc and aftermath of Tisoy, the LGU reasoned out. Earlier, Mayor Andres D. Dangeros sent a letter addressed to the education department's regional office signifying its withdrawal from hosting the sporting meet right after TS Tisoy left the PAR. I have heard from the grapevine that the province
of Romblon agreed to take the cudgels as pinch-hitter for Occidental Mindoro to host the event. Romblon, infact, was also damaged by said typhoon. If Sablayan did not abruptly withdraw, the DepEd and/or the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) might come to the rescue at the end of the day. Well, who am I to question the wisdom of our leaders or duty-bearers? I respect their decision no matter what.
Without
any official pronouncement as of yet from the National Palaro Board, the anticipating populace is facing
the wall, waiting if the 2020 Palarong Pambansa will be transfered, postponed, cancelled or
would push through as planned, as scheduled.
Hope it will not be scrapped in totality or held in another province in the next few months, say, towards the end of 2020. If TS Tisoy is the sole culprit, I hope that it must only be postponed and not cancelled. Like in 2003 in Tubod, I pray this will push through ultimately sometime late next year.
Hope it will not be scrapped in totality or held in another province in the next few months, say, towards the end of 2020. If TS Tisoy is the sole culprit, I hope that it must only be postponed and not cancelled. Like in 2003 in Tubod, I pray this will push through ultimately sometime late next year.
Rep.
Sato in Davao City last May also said that, “Hosting
such national event is an honor for Occidental Mindoro. This way, we can
showcase our province’s potentials, commerce and industry, our beautiful places
and tourist spots, our products and our people.” True enough, let us hold it here, re-schedule it and prove
that we, the people of Occidental Mindoro, can overcome and easily recover and make progress from devastation brought about by
TS Tisoy, that we can surpass any challenges that hinders along our path as a
struggling community. As community of heroes.
That is the fighting spirit we must show the world...
That is the fighting spirit we must show the world...
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References:
https://www.deped.gov.ph/1999/01/25/do-4-s-1999-postponement-of-1999-palarong-pambansa-to-year-2000/
Photo Credit: Philippine Information Agency (PIA)
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