MANILA – As a precaution against the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Department of Education (DepEd) decided to temporarily suspend the holding of the Palarong Pambansa, its biggest sports competition for elementary and high school students.
DepEd secretary Leonor Briones said that they were compelled to suspend their sanctioned events that attract mass gathering as there is still no timetable of when the virus will end in the country.
“‘Yong ating usual activities na napaka-exciting, nakakatuwa at buong bansa nakikisali talaga ay pansamantalang kina-cancel natin,” said Briones on Tuesday.
Palarong Pambansa was suspended days after the Philippine Sports Commission announced it will indefinitely halt all of its sports events until such time a vaccine for COVID-19 is developed.
Events that were supposed to take action were archery, arnis, aquatics, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, boxing, chess, football, futsal, gymnastics, sepak takraw, softball, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, and volleyball.
The National Capital Region is the defending champion in the contest.
Marikina City was supposed to host this year’s Palaro after taking the rights from Occidental Mindoro, while next year’s edition was supposed to be in Negros Occidental.
Negros Occidental already hosted the sporting meet four times in years 2000, 1979, 1974 and 1971.Back in 2004, the event was postponed due to the National Elections.
Aside from the annual sporting event, other DepEd affairs that are indefinitely suspended include talent contests, science and job fairs, and campus journalism events./PN
