Dagupan withdraws, Pangasinan bets safe in Batang Pinoy
THE BALON Dagupan Team has pulled out from the "Batang Pinoy" national finals which kicked off in Baguio City on Monday, due to the venue’s high safety risk after it was struck by Typhoon Ompong.
In her letter addressed to Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William Ramirez, Mayor Belen Fernandez said she cannot risk the life and limb of its athletes should the games proceed in Baguio City.
Fernandez said she will consider sending the athletes to the much-awaited competition "should the members of PSC decide to transfer the venue of the 2018 Batang Pinoy to another location where the athletes may safely compete as their parents, coaches and friends observe these games without fear of any possible injury to the participants."
Commissioner Finnela Sim, Dagupan City Sports Commission executive director, in an interview on Sunday, said the safety of the Dagupeño athletes is always their priority.
"I feel sad but
thankful that we are safe. I know how hard it is to train daily for a year in preparation for this event, but still we cannot fight nature. Safety of our athletes is our priority. We are still blessed to be in our homes safely," Sim said.
The Dagupan delegation went home before “Ompong” slammed Baguio City and the rest of northern Luzon.
Meanwhile, Pangasinan’s Provincial Sports Development and Management Council (PSDMC) has assured the safety of the 241 athletes, coaches and other delegates of Team Pangasinan, who are in Baguio City since Wednesday.
PSDMC executive officer Modesto Operania said the Pangasinense delegates are all safe and sound amid the onslaught of Typhoon Ompong in Baguio City on Friday and Saturday.
“Team Pangasinan are staying at Baguio City National High School as their billeting area, and they are all safe and secured,” Operania said.
He recalled that the athletes and trainercoaches were sent off by the provincial government on September 12.
Later that day, however, the organizers announced that the sporting event’s opening was moved to Sept. 17 instead of Sept. 15 due to the typhoon.
Operania is confident Team Pangasinan will give a good fight during the Batang Pinoy national finals owing to the 16-day inhouse training of the athletes, which was sponsored by the provincial government.
The athletes will compete in 18 sporting events -- archery, arnis, athletics, basketball, boxing, chess, karatedo, sepak takraw, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball, cycling, wrestling, wushu, futsal, and gymnastics.