Davao del Norte Governor Antonio Rafael del Rosario has expressed hopes of hosting more top-level tournaments that will make his province a sports center in the Mindanao region.
The youthful governor said sports is one of the priorities of his administration, the reason why he is keen on hosting the Philippine National Games, National Triathlon and the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asia Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Games.
“I want Tagum and Davao del Norte as the center of sports activities in Mindanao. This is the reason I want to host these tournaments and I am serious in my intention. Hopefully, we can host these events sooner,” said Del Rosario in a speech he delivered on Wednesday during the dinner he tendered for the media covering the 2016 Batang Pinoy National Finals in Tagum City.
The Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex in Tagum, which has a 5,000 sitting capacity, is the main venue of the 2016 Batang Pinoy National Games, which is the Philippine Sports Commission’s grassroots development program for students and out-of-school youths 17 years old and below.
“Sport is a priority of my administration because I am a true-blooded sportsman. I always give importance to sports being a major component in developing a sound mind and a sound body which is very important in running an institution government and private,” explained Del Rosario, a former congressman representing the second district of Davao del Norte. He was head of the Sports and Youth Committee which comprised seasoned basketball coach Roseller “Yeng” Guiao, who was then Pampanga solon, and partylist Rep. Wes Gatchalian.
Del Rosario is also interested in hosting some of the sports when the Philippines stages the Southeast Asian Games (SEA) Games three years from now.
“We have the capability to host some of the sports of the SEA Games simply because we have a modern sports complex which is considered one of the best if not the best in the country,” said Del Rosario.
The Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex was the venue of the 2015 Palarong Pambansa, the first major tournament held in the province.
“We learned a lot in hosting the 2015 Palarong Pambansa. The experience we gained in the Palaro gave us the knowledge on how to handle big competitions,” the governor said.
During the 2005 SEA Games hosted by the Philippines, some of the competitions were held in Cebu, Bacolod and Subic where water sports held inside the former US Naval Base.
“Hopefully, we can ultimately realize our dream and give my constituents and those living in nearby provinces the chance to personally watch international competitions like the SEA Games,” said Del Rosario. (PNA)
