ILAGAN CITY, Isabela, Philippines – The northernmost mainland province of Cagayan ruled this year’s Cagayan Valley Regional Athletic Association (CAVRAA) meet, dislodging last year’s champion Nueva Vizcaya in the recently concluded six-day regional sports meet.
Cagayan, the over-all champion in the CAVRAA meet held Feb. 24-29, garnered 93-gold, 86-silver and 83 bronze medals, besting the landlocked province of Nueva Vizcaya (78-65-79) and the country’s third largest province, Isabela (67-76-69).
Ilagan City, which hosted the event, placed fourth with 40-47-55, Tuguegarao City (28-27-48), Santiago City (16-16-20), Quirino (15-20-38), Cauayan City (4-10-31) and Batanes (4-0-4).
Most of the sports events in this year’s CAVRAA meet, participated in by more than 4,500 athletes and delegates from public elementary and secondary schools all over the region, were held at the Ilagan City Sports Complex.
This six-day meet spearheaded by the Department of Education featured competitions in basketball, volleyball, football, baseball, badminton, softball, tennis, sepak takraw, chess, track and field, boxing, swimming, archery, gymnastics and cycling, among other sports.
“This is a well deserved victory for Cagayan,” said Precious Depolonia of RBC cable based in Tuguegarao City.
The Cagayan provincial government and the province’s division office of the Department of Education will play host to next year’s CAVRAA .
According to Dr. Estela Cariño, CESO IV, DepEd director for Cagayan Valley, the sports meet has been serving as a venue for the selection of athletes to represent the region in the yearly Palarong Pambansa, with this year’s event set in Legaspi Albay on April 9-15.