• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The 2024 Western Visayas Athletic Association meet kicked off yesterday at the Panaad Sports and Stadium in Bacolod City with 5,695 athletes, coaches, officials and staff of the Department of Education in six provinces of Region 6 joining the event.
The delegation from Capiz province is the biggest delegation to the regional meet with a total of 973 athletes, coaches and other officials.
Host Negros Occidental has 903 delegates; Iloilo with 873; Antique, 871; Aklan, 847; and Guimaras with 561 delegates.
Included in the data released by Hernani Escullar Jr., spokesperson of the Department of Education regional office, are 703 officials and members of the DepEd technical teams.
Escullar said that all sporting events are ready with some competitions under the Para-games have already Wednesday.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, who hosted a fellowship night at the Provincial Capitol Lagoon in Bacolod City to welcome the DepEd family, in his speech, said that sports hold immense significance in Filipino culture and serves as a unifying force that fosters national pride and identity.
Lacson also expressed his appreciation and gratitude to everyone who made this year’s WVRAA possible.
“Given our focus on the local level, we are uniquely positioned to empower and enable our youth, facilitating their ability to reach their utmost potential, whether in sports or other aspects of their growth and development, the governor said.
While skills and talent are undoubtedly crucial for any athlete, nothing can substitute for the mindful, intelligent, pioneering, and committed mentoring and guidance that we provide, he added. | GB
