Negros Occidental hopes to register its 19th straight overall championship when the provinces hosts the 2012 Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association meet on March 12-16 at the Paglaum Sports Complex and Panaad Park and Sports Stadium.

The literary-musical contests and other cultural events will be staged at the University of St. La Salle Coliseum.

For the past 18 years, Negros Occidental has dominated the sports competition in both elementary and secondary level and playing host to the five other provinces this year will be an advantage, Negros Occidental Schools Division Superintendent Rizalino Tortosa said yesterday.

The cheers and moral support from the homecrowd will boost the spirit of the Negrense athletes who are competing in different events, he added.

To ensure the successful staging of the annual regional meet in Negros, playing venues at both the Paglaum Sports Complex and the Panaad Stadium is undergoing some facelift although the bad weather had caused some delays, Tortosa said.

He, however, assured the public that everything will be ready in time for the March 12 opening of the competition.

Six events will be played at the Paglaum Sports Complex – archery, baseball, elementary football, softball, secondary lawn tennis, and volleyball.

Events to be played at the Panaad Stadium are: arnis, athletics, elementary boys’ basketball, boxing, chess, secondary football, sepak takraw, sipa, swimming, table tennis, and elementary lawn tennis.

Meanwhile, Tortosa said the provincial government provided an additional budget of P20,000 for the repairs of toilets, baths, and lightings in both venues.

With Negros Occidental plans to bid for the hosting of the 2013 Palarong Pambansa, he said next month’s sporting spectacle will showcase the province’s capability to host the annual games, he said.

Earlier, Gov. Alfredo Maranon, Jr. said his office is in close coordination with Tortosa’s office for the smooth staging of the five-day sports and cultural competitions.

“We are elated that the province, once again, will have this opportunity to showcase not just its destinations and other tourist attractions, but also its tradition for excellence in the fields of culture and sports. We assure our visiting athletic delegations that they will have a great time during the WVRAA Meet,” Maranon said.*NAB

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