The journey to the Palarong Pambansa 2019 begins on Monday as hostilities go full blast for the Davao Regional Athletic Association (Davraa) Meet in various venues around Davao City.
The week-long sports conclave featuring the region’s best elementary and secondary athletes will serve as a dry run of sorts for the city’s hosting of the Palarong Pambansa, its first in the modern day era. The first and only time Davao City hosted the Palaro was in 1950 when it was yet known as the Bureau of Public Schools Interscholastic Athletics Association Games.
This year’s Davraa meet will be the second straight year the city is hosting the regional sports competitions. This time, the main venue will be the University of Mindanao Sports Complex in Bago Oshiro where the eleven delegations converge for the opening ceremonies on Sunday. The other major venue for the competitions is the University of Mindanao Sports Complex in Matina.
IBF junior bantamweight world champion Jerwin Ancajas was guest of honor in the curtain raiser with Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio welcoming some 6,000 delegates. The Mayor along with Department of Education regional director Alberto Escobarte declared the meet open.
Davao City Durians will try to reassert its supremacy in the region with stiff challenge coming from Davao del Norte Pioneers, Compostela Valley Gold, Davao del Sur Cobras, Davao Occidental Slashers, Davao Oriental Sunrisers, Digos City Trekkers, Island Garden City of Samal, Mati City Eagles, Panabo City Magnates, and Tagum City Tagumpay.
The top athletes from winning teams will comprise the nucleus of the Davao Region’s contingent to the Palarong Pambansa.
