Make way, PNG gets underway

CEBU, Philippines — The country's elite and topnotch athletes will test each other mettle on a bigger stage as the Philippine National Games (PNG) formally kicks off today at the Cebu City Sports Center with no less President Rodrigo Roa Duterte as honored guest and keynote speaker.

An elaborate opening ceremony scheduled at 3 pm will usher in the week-long sports conclave considered as the 'Philippine Olympics' being the national championships of participating NSAs (national sports associations).

"The opening will set the mood of the PNG. It's a never been seen presentation in any national games opening ceremony, we prepared a high tech and a very colorful show featuring the best of Cebu‘s talent . We want this to be a memorable event that the athletes will cherish in their athletic life," assured opening program coordinator Ricky Ballesteros.

Aside from Duterte, also expected to grace the momentous affair are boxing champion Sen. Manny Pacquiao, Phl Sports Commission chair William “Butch” Ramirez and all his commissioners, Executive Secretary Salvador Medaldea, Cabinet Sec. Leoncio Evasco, Jr., Foreign Affairs Sec. Alan Peter Cayetano, Phl Olympic Committee (POC) president Ricky Vargas and secretary-general Patrick Gregorio.

PSC commissioner and PNG overall chairman Ramon 'El Presidente' Fernandez will led the lighting of the urn together with selected young athletes and future Olympians. 

They wil be joined by past and present Olympians in Roel Velasco and Manuel "Onyok" Velasco (boxing), Bong Coo (bowling), Django Bustamante (billiards), Hidylyn Diaz (weightlifting), Elma Muros Posadas (track and field, Cong. Mansour del Rosario (taekwondo), and Eugene Torre (chess).

Close to 4,000 athletes will fight it out in 21 sports including the centerpiece track and field and Olympic events swimming, boxing archery, gymnastics, taekwondo, cycling and weightlifting.

The other disciplines to be contested are arnis, badminton, chess, dancesports, judo, karatedo, sepak takraw, softball, table tennis, tennis, triathlon, volleyball, beach volley and rugby.

As reward, the PSC will be handing out incentives in the form of sports program and equipment to the top five best performing LGUs (local government units) with the champion getting P5 million and the second to fifth receiving P4M, P3M, P2M and P1M, respectively.