BAGUIO CITY – Benguet Province will join Baguio City in hosting the Batang Pinoy 2018 National Championship slated on Sept. 15-21 this year.
City Sports Division Chief Gaudencio Gonzales said that based on their latest meeting with Philippine Sports Commission Batang Pinoy technical official Manny Bitog, Benguet will serve as venue for at least six events.
These are archery possibly at the Benguet State University Football Field; baseball at the Benguet National High School; judo at BSU Covered Court; pencak silat at the BSU Closed Gym; softball at the Benguet NHS and wrestling at the BSU Covered Court.
The rest of the 27 events will be played in the various sports facilities in the City: Arnis at the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council Bldg; athletics at the Baguio Atheltic Bowl; badminton at the Cooyeesan Sports Plaza; basketball at the SLU Burgos Gym and Easter College; boxing at People’s Park or Baguio City High School gym; chess at the BENECO Multi-purpose hall;
Cycling at the Philippine Millitary Academy; dancesport at the University of Baguio; futsal at the St. Louis University gym; gymnastics at the BCHS Auditorium; karatedo at SM Baguio; lawn tennis at the Baguio Tennis Club; sepak takraw at the Baguio Athletic Bowl; swimming, Baguio Swimming Pool; table tennis at University of the Philippines;
Taekwondo at UB; triathlon/duathlon at the PMA; volleyball indoor at the St. Vincent and University of the Cordilleras and beach at the Athletic Bowl; weightlifting at the Melvin Jones grounds; wushu at the FVR Gym and muay thai at the Engineer’s Hill Covered Court.
Benguet joined Baguio in bidding for the hosting of the Philippine National Games where they offered to provide the coolest venue literally owing to the localities’ innately cold weather and showcased the world-class venues and accommodations, athlete-friendly billeting centers, first-rate medical services and low criminality status to no avail.
Gonzales said initial information from the PSC also said President Rodrigo Duterte might serve as the guest of honor and speaker during the opening program.
He will personally award the P8 million reward of the City for placing second in the recently concluded PNG held in Vigan City.
Mayor Mauricio Domogan welcomed the development and thanked PSC Chairman William Ramirez for giving the hosting chores to Baguio and assured that the City will prove its readiness to host large-scale national sporting events.
Batang Pinoy is the government’s annual multi-sports meet for in and out-of-school school, 15-year-old and below athletes.
By: Aileen P. Refuerzo
