After five days of competition, Negros Occidental captured 13 team titles in elementary and 15 in secondary division to register its 19th overall championship in the 2012 Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association Meet at the Panaad Park and Stadium in Brgy. Mansilingan, Bacolod City.

Iloilo, however, spoiled the fun for the host team as it swept the championship in both elementary and secondary boys and girls’ athletics.

In elementary level, Negros booked the team titles in girls’ badminton, basketball, girls’ chess, football, softball, boys and girls’ swimming, boys and girls’ table tennis, girls’ taekwondo, tennis, and girls’ volleyball.

Team titles for the host in the secondary division came from boys and girls’ tennis, baseball, boys’ basketball, boxing, boys’ chess, sepak takraw, softball, boys and girls’ swimming, boys and girls’ table tennis, boys and girls’ tennis, and girls’ volleyball.

Negros accumulated a total of 385 points in the elementary department, while Iloilo posted 345 points for second place. Aklan finished third with 158 points, while Capiz was at fourth place with 146, Antique with 79 and Guimaras, 56 points.

In the competition for high school students, Negros had 436 points, Iloilo, 396.5, Capiz, 175, Aklan, 143.5, Antique, 131, and Guimaras, 42.

Aside from athletics, Iloilo won team titles in elementary girls’ arnis, boys’ badminton, baseball, sipa, boys’ taekwondo, and boys’ volleyball. In secondary, the Ilonggos prevailed in boys and girls’ arnis, girls’ basketball, football, girls’ taekwondo, and boys’ volleyball.

The staging of the 2012 WVRAA in Negros was considered as a prelude to hosting of the 2013 Palarong Pambansa as the province is set to submit its bid to the committee created by the Department of Education.

DepEd regional director Mildred Garay earlier said that the facilities in the different venues were upgraded to make sure that they are up to the standards of the national palaro. The opening ceremonies also featured field demonstrations and festival presentations worthy of a national sporting spectacle.

Gov. Alfredo Marañon expressed confidence that Negros will win the Palaro hosting bid as the province had hosted sporting events ranging from local, national and international that permanently marked it as the “Emerging Sports Capital in the Philippines.”

Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia also supported the bid of the province as his administration has been pushing for sports tourism in the city.

Earlier, Leonardia lauded the province for producing world-class athletes who threaten the National Capital Region’s supremacy.*NAB

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