Yt Framework

To ensure the success of the city’s hosting of the ‘Batang Pinoy Mindanao Regional 2011’ elimination round, the local Administrative Working Committee and the local National Sports Association (NSA) met with Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) officials at a local hotel, the other night.

This is the 3rd meeting with PSC officials headed by Commissioner Jose Luis Gomez in preparation for the city’s hosting of ‘Batang Pinoy Mindanao Regionals 2011’ (BPMR). 65 Local Government Units (LGU’s) including 28 cities and 37 provinces in Mindanao are expected to attend.

The Regional Qualifying Rounds will be held from October 26 to 30, 2011 at the Joaquin F. Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex (JFEMSC) and other playing venues in the city.

BPMR Organizing Committee Project Director Elbert “Bong” Atilano said a total of 15 sports will see action in the playing field including athletics, archery, basketball (3-on-3), swimming, tennis, boxing, judo, taekwondo, wrestling, arnis, badminton, chess, gymnastics, table tennis and weightlifting.

PSC Commissioner Jose Luis Gomez said Batang Pinoy is the youth component of the Philippine National Games and those who will emerge winners in the National Batang Pinoy to be held in Naga City on December 10 to 13 2011, will become part of the Junior National team for the Olympic Youth Games in 2014.

“This is talent identification in the country, I believe there’s lots of future Manny Pacquiao, Lydia De Vega, Zamboaguena Olympian weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz and other famous athletes… Na magiging bayani natin at hindi pa nakikita,” Gomez said.

“Almost all athletes in the country are not from Metro Manila but they came from Mindanao and the Visayas areas,” added Gomez.

Batang Pinoy is an open tournament including the Out-of-School-Youth (OSY) for children 15 years old and below based on the Batang Pinoy calendar year meaning participants must not have been born earlier than 1996.

Universidad de Zamboanga-Institute of Human Kinetics (UZ-IHK) Veterans Campus is the local secretariat of the games.

For inquiries, please call 926-9070, telefax (062)9914271 or text at cellular #0927-8792191.

By Monch L. Follosco