MANILA – With the country still under coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Department of Education (DepEd) is planning to hold Palarong Pambansa virtually this year.
DepEd director Joel Erestain said during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday the agency is still studying the possibility of staging the country’s biggest elementary and secondary sports event.
“Kaso nga lang, hindi na siya ‘yung full spectrum of the sporting events of the Palaro. But kung ano ‘yung pupwedeng ma-video, like ‘yung mga forms, ganyan,” he added.
According to him they have already identified some sports that may be held in a virtual platform but it is still set for Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases’ approval.
Aside from having a limited number of sports, Erestain said there is a possibility that only secondary school students-athletes can compete in the virtual Palaro.
“Sa nakikita po namin ngayon, kung iho-hold nga ang virtual, baka 15-18 (year olds) lang din ang makakasali,” he added. “Ang talagang primordial concern natin will always be the safety of our children, especially on the part of Palarong Pambansa and our student-athletes.”
“Pero nakikita natin, ‘pagka medyo nagi-ease up naman ‘yung situation, so baka pwede tayong magdagdag ng sports or sporting events, or pati siguro ng mga batang pwedeng lumahok,” he stated.
DepEd secretary Leonor Briones was forced to cancel the 2020 Palarong Pambansa in Marikina City and other events of the agency that draw large crowds in a bid to suppress the spread of the viral disease among student-athletes, teachers and parents./PN
