DAVAO CITY, Philippines – As the Davao Region Athletic Association (DAVRAA) meet finally concluded here over the weekend, City Mayor Sara Duterte said she wants the city to host it again next year.
“We would like, Davao City would like to host again DAVRAA 2019,” Duterte said during the closing ceremony of the region’s biggest sporting event on Friday, February 23, at the University of Mindanao track oval in Matina here.
The mayor said she wanted the city to host it again in preparation for the Palarong Pambansa, which the city is currently bidding to host also in 2019.
She assured the student athletes that they will have a “different experience” since they will be using new sports facilities including the city’s sports complex in the University of the Philippines in Mintal.
Duterte also asked permission to the hundreds of local executives in the region who attended the launching of the new regional party Hugpong Ng Pagbabago (HNP) held earlier.
“I would like to ask for your permission, if it’s okay with you, Davao City will again be the host of the DAVRAA next year,” she said while the crowd replied with an applause.
“We volunteered to host again DAVRAA because we want to practice and the only to do it is to put up DAVRAA event here in Davao City,” she added.
Meanwhile, in an interview with Davao Today, Jenelito Atillo spokesperson of the Department of Education-11 confirmed that Duterte already talked to DepEd officials regarding her request.
Atillo said DepEd will be looking into it since another division, the province of Davao del Norte also wants to host the said event.
But he also added that there’s a big chance that the mayor’s request will be granted.
Mikey Aportadera, head of the City Sports Development Division said the city is prepared because they have seen how it was done now and they seek to improve the hosting for next year.
“If the mayor wants it and everybody agrees to it, why not? Let’s do it!” he said. (davaotoday.com)
