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ILOILO – After Negros Occidental withdrew its bid to host the 2017 Palarong Pambansa, Gov. Rhodoro Cadiao disclosed Antique is taking a chance at bagging the stint.
“Officials of the Palaro will be coming to Antique on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2016, to inspect our sports facilities and the billeting schools that our local sports officials have identified,” Cadiao said on Thursday.
She said the Palaro is a “very good opportunity” to promote Antique as it would help not only in sports development but in tourism as well.
“So many people out there still don’t know where Antique is,” Cadiao lamented. “Worse, there are people who haven’t even heard of our province. The Palaro, being a national sports competition, will put Antique in the news.”
Earlier Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. confirmed that Negros Occidental has withdrawn its bid.
That the Department of Education (DepEd) will not give financial assistance to the host of next years’ Palaro forced the province to pull out.
“Nag-withdraw kita kay ang DepEd hindi maghatag funds,” Marañon said. “Ang estimate is almost P70 million.”
He said the DepEd gave P200 million when the province hosted the event during the time of governor Rafael Coscolluela.
Negros Occidental was reportedly leading in terms of playing venues, billeting, transportation availability, and accessibility to all necessary facilities. Others bidding for the hosting stint are Cebu, Leyte and Iloilo.
The 2016 Palaro was held in Legazpi City, Albay.
“Hosting the Palaro is not exclusive to big provinces and cities,” stressed Cadiao. “Smaller provinces like Antique can also host the games as long as they have the facilities. We have better sports facilities than in other provinces.”
Antique will also host the Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association Meet in February 2017 after Capiz backed out. (Tiffany Anne Tan and PNA/PN)
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