Several athletes from various schools in Bacolod City are in Manila for this year’s Batang Pinoy (BP) and Philippine National Games (PNG), with arnis and basketball players joining the opening ceremony at Ninoy Aquino Stadium Dec. 17.
Across 25 sports disciplines, Bacolod athletes will engage in arnis, athletics, archery, badminton, beach volleyball, 3×3 basketball, chess, cycling, lawn tennis, karatedo, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, and weightlifting, the city Public Information Office said.
It added that the arnis competitors are from Romanito National High School, Estefania Elementary School, and Negros Occidental HS, with Henry Burbano as head coach/trainer, and Sheila Duran assisting.
The Basketball 3 on 3 athletes are from PNG-UNOR/USLS, and Batang Pinoy-UNOR/USLS, with Jerome Aledron and Nene Sibaya as lead coaches.
The PNG and BP national championships will see the participation of 18,000 athletes from 193 local government units.
The PNG is for athletes 18 years old and above, while the BP is for those 17 years and below.
Other sports are football, dancesport, gymnastics, judo, kickboxing, muay thai, pencak silat, sepak takraw, and wushu.
“I stand before you with immense pride and excitement as we gather for the opening rites of the 2023 Batang Pinoy and Philippine National Games,” Richard Bachmann, Philippine Sports Commission chair, said in his speech during the opening ceremony.
“It is truly an honor to witness the convergence of our nation’s finest athletes, representing the wide spectrum of talent that makes our country unique and vibrant. In the heart of every athlete lies a seed that grows in the pursuit of excellence and the passion to overcome challenges,” he added in a Philippine News Agency report.
Bachman advised the athletes to “embrace the lessons and cherish the experiences.” ||
