Cebu City eyed as model host city of sports events amid the new normal

Logo of the Cebu City Sports Commission and the Palarong Pambansa. / contributed

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City was chosen to be the model city by the Department of Education (DepEd) in reformatting the Palarong Pambansa under the new normal.

In a presser on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, Palarong Pambansa secretariat head Maximo Abalos announced that they are planning to hold a multi-bubble sports event in Cebu City.

He along with fellow Palarong Pambansa secretariat head Edward Masucat II, and DepEd Director of Palarong Pambansa Secretariat Joel Erestain are in Cebu to observe the Palarong Pambansa football, a bubble-format tournament at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) that will open tomorrow, May 4, 2022.

During the presser held at the Eco-Tech Center in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City, Abalos revealed that the bubble tournament tomorrow will be their blueprint for future sports events under the new normal.

According to Abalos, one of the tasks given to them by DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones was to continue DepEd’s sports programs amidst the pandemic.

With that in mind, they formed the Palarong Pambansa Continuity Plan which involves refresher courses, virtual training, virtual tournaments, and the bubble tournaments including the one in Cebu tomorrow.

“Kung magkakaroon ulit ng pandemya, alam na alam na natin kung paano gagawin. Kaya eto ang programa ng ating butihing secretary, sapagkat gusto niya walang tigil ang sports para sa mga bata. We will continue with sports. More than two years na tayong walang sports, ang mga bata affected psychologically and physically. Ang secretary ng DepEd sinabihan kami na huwag tumigil maghanap paraan para ma continue ang sports program,” said Abalos.

“Mas matutuwa po kayo sa sinabi ng secretary, sapagkat hindi lamang isang sport gagawin natin dito sa Cebu. Idudulog na rin po natin ang multi-bubble sports dito sa Cebu. Kakausapin natin si John Pages na gagawin na po natin ang multi-bubble at tutulungan din po namin kayo na magkaroon ng sponsor coming from different regions para di lang po ang Region VII ang kumikilos at magtutulungan.”

Abalos said that they will coordinate with Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) Chairman John Pages to plan the multi-sports bubble tournament to be hosted by Cebu City.

“Magiging model po ang Cebu City sapagkat ito na yung ating magiging new normal, sapagkat ang pandemya parati nang nandyan. Tatawagin po natin itong VisMin Palarong Pambansa,” added Abalos.

After the Palarong Pambansa Football at CCSC, DepEd is planning to hold a bubble boxing event here in partnership with CCSC.

Erestain revealed that he along with Abalos will meet with Pages to finalize the details of the boxing event and the multi-sports events to be hosted by Cebu City.

“We’re planning for a Palarong Pambansa reformat. We will have a meeting with the Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) Chairman John Pages. We will be talking about holding a boxing event here in Cebu. We’re looking good pagdating sa sports kasi ang plano natin the reason why we’re doing these things because we want to reformat Palarong Pambansa,” said Erestain.

“Tingnan natin siya muna kung ano ang magagawa as we know it, in the past na marami masyado high school and elementary. Our primordial concern is the safety of the students. We have to make sure first that they are safe. So, baka magkakaroon tayo ng reformat ng Palarong Pambansa competitions.

Erestain revealed that they are also planning to hold Palarong Pambansa in cluster events. It means that the sports events are likely going to be held regionally to follow the health and safety protocols set by the IATF.

The last time Cebu City hosted Palarong Pambansa was in 1994. The main reason why the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) was constructed was to host Palarong Pambansa.

After those huge announcements from DepEd, Cebu City will be rolling its red carpet anew, but under the new normal.      /rcg

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