The Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association (WVRAA) sports meet officially kicked off in a ceremony at the Ricardo P. Palmares Sr. Memorial Sports Complex in Passi City on Tuesday evening, March 17.
An estimated 7,000 delegates from the eight school divisions of the Department of Education (DepEd) 6 (Western Visayas) gathered for the event, which runs until March 22.
DepEd Undersecretary Peter Irving Corvera, in his message, said Western Visayas has always produced some of the determined athletes in the country because “Ilonggos are known not just for their talent but for their persistence, discipline, and brave heart.”
“This gathering brings together thousands of athletes, coaches, and officials from across the region, not just to compete, but to represent their schools, their families, their communities. But more than medals, this meet celebrates something deeper – character,” he said in his message.
He also shared that Education Secretary Sonny Angara believes that sports are not just an extracurricular activity in school, but an essential and powerful tool for nation-building.
DepEd thus strengthens the school sports program, expands grassroots sports development in cooperation with the Philippine Sports Commission, and supports pathways for talented athletes through institutions, such as the National Academy of Sports.
“Because sports teach lessons that no classroom can teach. It teaches discipline, it teaches teamwork, it teaches resilience, the ability to rise after defeat,” he said.
Corvera said Angara is fully committed to ensuring that every young athlete in public schools has the opportunity to discover their strength, discover their confidence, and discover their purpose through sports.
He also shared his excitement as for the first time, Western Visayas will be playing against the Negros Island Region (NIR), which has already hosted its own regional sports meet since its creation.
“But whether it is NIR or Region 6, what matters most is that our young athletes continue to grow stronger and better for the country,” he said.
The meet will have 16 events for the elementary level, including futsal (girls), and 25 for secondary, including football (girls) and weightlifting for boys and girls.PNA
