This developed as preparations are now in full swing for the staging of Palarong Pambansa 2012 to be held on May 6 to 12.
The rehabilitation and the upgrading of the event venues such as the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center (NRSCC) as well as the billeting areas for the athletes are ongoing.
Modesto Operania, Provincial Sports Consultant, said that recently the Philippine Sports Commission and the Department of Education (DepEd) met to inspect the facilities of the NRSCC and further discussed other details like security, medical assistance and technical concerns regarding the different sporting events of the national games to include chess, basketball, badminton, track and field, gymnastics, sepak takraw and sipa, taekwondo, boxing, volleyball and football among others.
Operania said that while the provincial government is responsible for the repairs and refurbishments of sports venues, the DepEd will supply new sets of equipment for the event.
It will be recalled that when Pangasinan hosted the big event in 1995, Gov. Espino who was then the PNP Provincial Director, played a vital role in making the national sports competition a resounding success to include the construction of the NRSCC in barely 49 days.
Operania said that upon assuming his post as the highest official of the province, the Governor has set his sights in repeating history with an objective to prove that Pangasinan can aptly be called as the Philippines’ “home to sporting activities and center of sports development.”
Pangasinan outbidded other finalists like Laguna and Marikina after Isabela and Mindoro backed out at the last minute last November 17 with the Governor leading the provincial bidding team. (PIO/Sheila Aquino and Ruby R. Bernardino)
(A reprint from the Philippine Star)
