CEBU CITY, Cebu (PIA) — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. emphasized the crucial role of values and virtues in sports to contribute to nation-building as he led the opening ceremony and torch lighting for the Palarong Pambansa 2024 at the Cebu City Sports Center, Osmeña Boulevard, on July 9.
“This occasion holds enormous significance beyond sports. The values and virtues that will be displayed and put into practice here, such as excellence, teamwork, discipline, perseverance, and most importantly, sportsmanship, are ideals we need to succeed in life and build a great nation,” Pres. Marcos said in his remarks.
“This event is more than just an inter-school, inter-regional competition. It is also a platform where we discover, develop, and hone future professional athletes, Olympians, and servant leaders,” he added.
The President said that the event is a special edition due to the participation of the National Academy of Sports and Philippine Schools Overseas.
Also, dancesport has been included as a regular sport, as have exhibition sports featuring soft tennis, karatedo, football, and esports.
Pres. Marcos noted the significant role of technology in enhancing the country’s sports programs.
“In this year’s Palarong Pambansa, we’ll see the integration of technology in web platforms, social media, game statistics, and live streaming. It will not only connect games to families and fans around the world but also provide valuable data that we can use to improve performance in future competitions,” he said.
The President encouraged the nearly 13,000 delegates from 17 regions to compete with hard work, discipline, integrity, and sportsmanship.
2024 Palarong Pambansa
The 64th Palarong Pambansa runs from July 9 to 16, 2024, and is hosted by the local government of Cebu in collaboration with the Department of Education (DepEd) Region 7 and the schools division of Cebu City.
Cebu City Acting Mayor Raymund Garcia expressed his excitement about Cebu hosting this year’s sporting event again after 30 years since 1994 and for the third time overall since 1954.
“We have eagerly anticipated your arrival, for it truly is a great honor and privilege as Cebu City gets to host this year’s Palarong Pambansa. After all, it has been 30 years since the games were last held on our shores,” Garcia said.
The young athletes, consisting of elementary and secondary learners, are set to compete in 35 featured games categorized as follows: regular sports (gymnastics, basketball, softball, taekwondo, etc.); demonstration sports featuring ‘Pencak Silat,’ a form of self-defense martial art originating from Indonesia; Paragames (Para-athletics, Para-swimming, Bocce, and Goalball); exhibition sports (soft tennis, karatedo, esports, and football); and traditional Filipino games (kadang-kadang, patintero, and tumbang preso).
Institutionalized through Republic Act No. 10588, also known as the ‘Palarong Pambansa Act of 2013,’ the annual multi-level scholastic competition is organized and overseen by DepEd in collaboration with the Philippine Sports Commission and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
It remains a cornerstone in promoting sports excellence and camaraderie among young Filipino athletes. (MYP/PIA7 Cebu)
