Maasin City to host Batang Pinoy Visayas leg

The Philippine Sports Commission recently visited this city and inspected the playing venues, billeting areas and hotels for the 2013 Batang Pinoy Qualifying Leg. Around 3,000 athletes, coaches, technical/delegation officials and trainors are expected during the event. It will be participated by athletes from the Eastern, Central and Western Visayas regions.

The Batang Pinoy Visayas Qualifying Leg was held in Maasin City last week. In photo shows Mayor Maloney. Samaco; Maasin City Schools Division Superintendent Gines Murallos and other guests. The city government is all geared up for the 2013 for the sporting event according to Mayor Maloney Samaco.

“We accepted the challenge when the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) informed us last June, that our LGU was chosen as venue for the event. We are very excited to host this competition. It will beef up our qualification as a new venue for sporting events. Last February we host the National Boxing Championship,” Samaco said. The memorandum of agreement (MOA) to formalize the hosting of Maasin of this sports competition was signed last July between PSC represented by Commissioner Jose Luis Gomez and Mayor Samaco at the media room of the PhilSports Arena. It was witnessed by Maasin administrator Atty. Feorillo Demeterio, Jr. and Batang Pinoy executive director Atty. Jay Alano.

The agreement signing was held during the Sports Science Seminar conducted by world famous strength and mind conditioning experts Jason Andrew Glass and Janet Joyce Alexander attended by 400 athletes, coaches and trainors. The host city will provide free billeting for all the participating athletes, coaches, trainers, delegation officials and affiliated/local technical officials. The city will also offer free shuttle for the participating teams from the port/terminal to the billeting centers to the playing venues as stated in the agreement. The launching of the 2013 Batang Pinoy Visayas Qualifying Leg was held last week in Maasin attended by city officials, athletes, sports enthusiasts and other guests. “It will be a smoke-free Batang Pinoy competition. The smoking will be strictly prohibited in all billeting quarters, playing venues and public places and public utility vehicles. Maasin City is a Hall of Fame Red Orchid Awardee of the World Health Organization and the Department of Health,” said Samaco.

The Batang Pinoy is a tournament open to Filipino athletes whether by birth or naturalized, age 13 to 15. The best athletes from the regional leg who got the first, second and third placers, shall earn slots in the 2013 Philippine National Games – Batang Pinoy. The representation of the athletes is strictly by the LGU. This may be in the form of provincial, city, municipality and barangay representation. According to the competition mechanics, no athletes shall be accepted without accreditation of a particular LGU. An athlete shall represent only one LGU. This year’s schedule is on August 27-31 for the Mindanao Qualifying Leg which will be in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, on September in Maasin City; Luzon will be in Iba Zambales on October 15-19 and the National Championship will be in Zamboanga on November 19-23.

The Philippine Sports Commission partners with Philippine Olympics Commission, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Education and the local government units for the National Games.