MANILA, Philippines – SINABI ng Department of Education (DepEd) na itutuloy ngayong taon ang Palarong Pambansa matapos na matigil ng tatlong taon dahil sa coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
Sa isang kalatas, tinuran ng DepEd na ang Division Schools of Marikina ang magho-host ng sports competition.
“The Department of Education announced the conduct of the 2023 Palarong Pambansa from July 29 to Aug. 5, 2023 in Marikina City, nearly three years since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic forced its cancellation,” ang nakasaad sa kalatas ng DepEd.
Samantala, sinimulan na ng departamento ang division meets, araw ng Lunes hanggang sa darating na Biyernes.
Susundan ito ng regional meets sa Abril 24 hanggang 28, sa ilalim ng “DepEd Memorandum 5, series of 2023.”
Sinabi ng departamento na ang mga Filipino student-athletes sa ibang bansa ay maaari ring lumahok sa nationwide event.
“Aside from student-athletes from the 17 DepEd regional athletic associations, Filipino athletes enrolled in recognized schools overseas will also be allowed to compete in individual sports under the banner of Philippine Schools Overseas,” anito pa rin.
Samantala, ipinakikila rin ng DepEd ang bagong tier level kung saan ang delegasyon ay “geographically clustered” sa apat.
“The modified competition format aims to prevent the disruption of classes and to observe minimum public health and safety protocols as stated in DepEd Order No. 34, s. 2022, and other relevant policies and guidelines issued,” ayon sa DepEd.
Ang first cluster ay kinabiblangan ng Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and Cordillera Administrative Region; ang second cluster naman ay Calabarzon, Mimaropa, National Capital Region, at Bicol Region; habang ang third cluster ay Western, Central and Eastern Visayas and Zamboanga Peninsula Region; at ang fourth cluster ay Northern Mindanao, Davao, Soccksargen, Caraga, at ang Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
“An additional tier called the pre-national qualifying meet will be introduced to lessen the number of delegations, shorten the duration of the event, and lower the expenses to be incurred – all without sacrificing the level of play,” ayon sa DepEd.
“The new tier will only allow the top two regional advancers besting the clustered levels to join the national competition.
However, only baseball, basketball, football, futsal, sepak takraw, football, and volleyball will be featured in the newly-set tier for team sports,” ang paliwanag ng DepEd.
