Laguna to host Palaro this year

This year’s Palarong Pambansa, which pits the country’s top secondary and elementary athletes, will be held for the first time in the province Laguna.
The annual multi-sports event will run from May 4-10 coinciding with the “La Laguna Festival.”
Laguna Gov. ER Ejerci announced the province’s hosting in a press briefing at the Department of Education’s (DepEd) main office in Pasig City last Monday which was also attended by DepEd Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro.
The Palarong Pambansa is considered the country’s breeding ground for world-class athletes. It has produced the likes of Elma Muros and Lydia de Vega (athletics), Akiko Thompson and Enchong Dee (swimming), Danny Ildefonso and Samboy Lim (basketball), Dyan Castillejo (tennis) and Chiefy Caligdong and Christopher Camcam (football).
For this year, the week-long meet will showcase three new events – wushu, wrestling and billiards, announced Luistro.
Last year’s competition was held in Dumaguete City where the host Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (Cviraa) ended a string of fourth place finishes.
Tallying 337 points, Region 7 finished third in that meet marking for the first time in at least eight years that it didn’t wind up fourth.
Region 7 raked in 29 golds, 46 silvers and 39 bronzes. The ranking of competing regions was determined through the general championship points (GCP).
Powerhouse National Capital Region (NCR) was the runaway champion with 596.5 points while Region 6 finished second with 446.34 points.