Batang Pinoy Nationals kick off in Tagum City on Sunday

TAGUM, Philippines – About 14,000 young athletes representing approximately 300 Local Government Units (LGUs) will converge at the Davao del Norte Sports & Tourism Complex, Sunday, November 26, for the opening of the national finals of the Batang Pinoy 2016 DavNor.

Davao del Norte Governor Anthony Del Rosario hopes to improve off the province’s 2015 hosting, considered by many the best National Finals hosting in recent times.

The province spent about P10 million for this talent identification program of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and had two months to prepare for the multi-sporting event.

Aside from Tagum City, other billeting areas for the delegations are at neighboring towns and cities—New Corella, Kapalong and Panabo City, organizers have put up a Bus Transport System (BTS) to bring all participants to the respective venues of their event. While the BTS will accommodate all with Batang Pinoy identification cards, athletes will be given priority.

Batang Pinoy Opening

Tomorrow’s opening program will start with a Mass at the New Christ The King Cathedral. The Parade of Camaraderie and Friendship will be at 3 pm and will kickoff from the Government Center, Capitol Ground to the complex where the official opening program will be held held at 4 pm.

PSC chairman William I. Ramirez will attend the event along with commissioners Charles Raymond A. Maxey, Celia Kiram and Ramon Fernandez.

Senator/boxing champion Manny Pacquiao had been invited to the event but will not attend due to a miscommunication, organizers say.

Organizers have also received word that President Rodrigo Duterte might be dropping by for the Batang Pinoy event but not necessarily during the opening. 

Torchbearers are DavNor athletes Ruben D. Enggo Jr. and Jeanette L. Mansumilay, both members of the Talaingod- DavNor Lumad Running Team and Jeremiah P. Cortes. Mansumilay and Cortes both took part in last year’s Palarong Pambansa.

The Oath of Sportsmanship will be led by Kyla Cielo Bernaldez, a table tennis gold medalist in last year’s Batang Pinoy hosted by Cebu.

The opening ceremonies will then be capped by a field demonstration and fireworks.

The event will have two divisions—the 15-under with cut-off age January  1, 2004 and the 17-under (January 1, 1999).

Unlike the Palarong Pambansa, the Batang Pinoy selection is based on age and not on school levels. Thus, participants could be an out-of-school youth as long as they make the age requirement.

Participants will be competing in a total of 26 events, two of which, however, will be held in Manila. Events to be contested in Tagum are archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball (3-on-3), boxing, chess, cycling, dancesport, Judo, karatedo, lawn tennis, pencak silat, rugby football, sepak takraw, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, triathlon, volleyball, weightlifting and wrestling. Events to be held in Manila are Wushu (December 5-8)  and Gymnastics (December 4-11).

Although the Batang Pinoy will officially open in the afternoon, most of the events will already be played except for athletics, some cycling events, dancesport, taekwondo, triathlon, weightlifting and wrestling. – Rappler.com