DepEd modifies 2023 Palarong Bicol

By Danica D. Caballero

LEGAZPI CITY --- With the comeback of Palarong Pambansa this year, schools in Bicol region have kicked off preparations for the regional level of the multi-sports event set for April 24-28.

According to Ronald Asis, Department of Education's sports coordinator for Bicol, the Palarong Bicol will have a new setup this year.

“The new format that we call Modified Palarong Bicol will be introduced this year to avoid huge gathering, costly events and to ensure that no disruption of classes will happen during the actual conduct of this sporting event,” he said.

Further, Asis said that Technical Management Committee (TMC) will conduct the Regional Invitational Clustered Qualifying Meet for Team Sports (RICQTMS) on March 11, 12 and 18.

Competitions will be held in clusters based from the geographical proximity of the participating schools. Cluster A is composed of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Naga City; Cluster B is composed of Iriga City, Albay, and Ligao; while Cluster C is composed of Legazpi City, Tabaco and Catanduanes; and Cluster D with Sorsogon Province, Sorsogon City, Masbate Province and Masbate City.

The official added that as per regional memorandum, the RICQMTS will only feature team sports such as baseball, basketball, football, futsal, sepak takraw, softball, and volleyball.

“School Division Offices (SDOs) within the cluster are to compete on the team sports events as a group and the top 1 in each cluster for the respective team sports shall compete in the Modified Palarong Bicol,” he said.

For individual sports, the selection committee will also adopt the qualification standards in determining whether an individual athlete should qualify for the regional or national meet.

The winning athletes in the regional meet will advance to the national meet once the qualifying standards are met.

Meanwhile, other sports that do not meet the qualifying standards in the selection of athletes and are not identified as team sports will undergo screening before they can advance to the Palarong Pambansa.

The Bicol Regional Meet this year will be hosted by five divisions which include SDO Legazpi, SDO Ligao, SDO Naga, SDO Tabaco and SDO Albay.

The new arrangement of the regional sporting event is in conformity to the DepEd order 005-2023 or the conduct of the 2023 Palarong Pambansa, the DepEd Order 34-2022 or the school calendar of activities for school year 2022 -2023 and the Comprehensive Regional Sports Development Program. (PIA5/With reports from Marian Geraldine Bayta, Bicol University intern)