CEBU CITY, Philippines—Palarong Pambansa Boxing VisMin Cup organizers from the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) are optimistic that Vice President-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio will grace the event at the Cebu City Sports Center.
The upcoming Palarong Pambansa Boxing VisMin Cup is slated July 12 to 15, 2022.
In a Zoom presser on Thursday, June 30, 2022, DepEd Director of Palarong Pambansa Secretariat Joel Erestain said there is a big chance Duterte-Carpio, who is the incoming DepEd secretary, will watch the bouts.
“We will be having a special guest, the probability is very high, that our Palarong Pambansa boxing event will be graced by vice president-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio, who is also our DepEd secretary,” said Erestain.
“They’re already asking us for the security preparation. So ibig sabihin,it is highly likely she will be in Cebu on July 12. We’re praying and preparing for that eventuality.”
Erestain said they’re only waiting for the confirmation of vice president Duterte-Carpio.
Erestain was joined by Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) chairman John Pages, Palarong Pambansa secretariat head Edward Masucat II, and Palarong Pambansa secretariat head Maximo Abalos during Thursday’s Zoom presser.
The major boxing event will field eight teams comprised of 80 boxers from the Visayas and Mindanao region vying in 10 weight categories in the junior and youth divisions.
One of the teams that will compete in the boxing event is the Davao region, the home province of vice president Duterte-Carpio.
“Alam naman natin na napakabusy nila, lalo na ang VP natin because she’s also the holding the position of the biggest agency of the bureaucracy, which is DepEd. Dito natin makikita na hands-on ang VP natin. We’re hoping that this will be her first sporting event she will grace. We are praying she will officially say yes to us,” added Erestain.
For his part, Pages is up for the challenge to roll the red carpet in welcoming vice president Duterte-Carpio to the upcoming boxing event.
“It will be her first big sporting event, if ever she will accept the invitation. One of the teams are from Davao, and Bisaya sad si Inday Sara. We’re very excited for this, although it’s an added responsibility, but we’re up for the challenge and it’s an honor for us to have her during the event,” said Pages.
/bmjo
READ MORE:
Palarong Pambansa Football: More than just an average tourney
Cebu City eyed as model host city of sports events amid the new normal