The Department of Education (DepEd) Division of City Schools-Tagbilaran City launched its sports meet last Saturday at Tagbilaran City Saulog Gymnasium. 

The event was attended by City Mayor Jane Cajes-Yap, DepEd Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Joseph Irwin Lagura, Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Casiana Caberte, Division Sports officer Alberto Lacang, other City DepEd officials, coaches, tournament managers, school athletes, parents, and guardians.

The city is preparing for the 2023 Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) meet which will be held on April 24-28, 2023, in Carcar City, Cebu. Tagbilaran City will compete with the other 19 schools divisions in the multi-event sports meet. The competition is expected to be more challenging than the pre-pandemic years, with each division hoping to be the champion.

Mayor Jane Yap expressed her strong commitment and confidence in the city’s chances of winning, but she said to achieve this, discipline, teamwork, and sportsmanship should be practiced by every athlete. 

She also said that she strongly supports sports because it is one way that young people can be spared from engaging in illegal activities. 

The members of the Local School Board have already approved the increase of budget for city sports meet from P3 million to P7 million.

This year’s Palaro Guidelines are a little different than before. In team sports, the winner-take-all policy is applied, where no other player is picked up to compose the winning team, aligned with the no-disruption-of classes policy as stipulated in DepEd Order No. 9, s. 2005 titled “Instituting Measures to Increase Engaged Time-on-Task and Ensuring Compliance Therewith”. 

In measurable sports like swimming, athletics, and archery, there are certain standards of time and distance to beat for the athletes to qualify. 

The winners in CVIRAA will still compete in the pre-Palaro elimination cluster games which will be composed of Regions 6, 7, 8, and 9. (Dr. Aquilino T. Milar Jr.- Division Information Officer V)