Ni Annie Abad
KUMPIRMADONG dadalo si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa Opening Ceremonies ng Philippine National Games (PNG) na gaganapin sa Cebu City at Cebu province sa Mayo 19-25.
Ito ang ipinahayag kahapon ni Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman William “Butch” Ramirez kung saan aniya pati ang ilang miyembro ng gabinete ay nakatakda ring dumalo kasama si Philippine Olympic committee (POC) president Ricky Vargas.
“We have just got the confirmation from the Office of the President that President Duterte will grace the opening ceremonies in Cebu. Also some of the cabinet members will also be with us on that day, gaya nila DFA secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, Leoncio “Jun” Evasco ng Housing and Urban Development, and of course POC president Ricky Vargas will also be there,” ani Ramirez.
Ito ang unang pagkakataon na dadaluhan ng Pangulo ng Pilipinas ang proyektong ito ng PSC na lalahokan ng mga Local Government Units (LGUs) buhat sa Luzon, Visayas at Mindanao.
Kabuuang 21 sports discipline ang nakatakdang paglabanan sa nasabing sports multi event kung saan nakatakda ring lumahok ang mga National athletes at mga fil-foreign athletes para sa kani-kanilang LGUs.
“In the case of the fil-foreign athletes, they will be assigned to their designated LGUs depending on the birthplace of their Filipino parents,” paliwanag ni Ramirez.
Bukod dito, apat na World Karatedo Federation (WKF) technical officials ang naktakda ring maging bahagi ng PNG bilang referees sa karatedo, ayon naman kay PSC Commission Ramon Fernandez.