ILOILO City – As the Western Visayas Regional Athletics Association (WVRAA) Meet 2024 commences (May 2 to May 7) in Negros Occidental, the Department of Education (DepEd) is ensuring the health and safety of nearly 3,000 athletes and delegates.
Due to expected high temperatures, with a heat index anticipated to exceed 40 degrees Celsius, DepEd has implemented specific measures to safeguard participants, according to Hernani Escullar Jr., DepEd Region 6 regional information officer.
WVRAA 2024 sees a total of 5,695 delegates, comprised of athletes, chaperones, coaches, trainers, and other personnel.
The athletes’ breakdown per province includes 543 from Aklan, 475 from Antique, 481 from Capiz, 389 from Guimaras, 543 from Iloilo, and 541 from Negros Occidental.
Delegates started arriving in Negros Occidental as early as April 27.
Escullar said all delegates, especially the athletes, were required to submit a medical certificate confirming their good health condition.
To avoid the extreme heat, outdoor games such as football and swimming are not scheduled between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tournament directors have the discretion to start games at 2 p.m. or 4 p.m., depending on the situation.
To maintain good health, a medical team will conduct daily check-ups and regular monitoring of blood pressure at billeting areas and game venues.
A standby medical team, including nurses, doctors, first aid personnel, and ambulances, is available in case delegates require immediate medical attention.
DepEd-6 also ensures that the food served to athletes is safe and clean to prevent any health issues.
For additional safety, a curfew will be enforced in billeting areas to restrict unnecessary movement and ensure the security of the delegates.
Coordination with the host province and local Philippine National Police has been established to deploy security forces at billeting schools and game venues, further ensuring the safety of all participants./PN
