LINGAYEN, Pangasinan - Some 6,000 athletes from 11 regions of the country are now in Pangasinan to participate in the 2012 Palarong Pambansa which is set to open May 6 and ends on May 12.
Task Force Palaro head Atty. Verna Nava-Perez said all the other athletes from six more regions are expected to arrive before the start of the games on Sunday.
Overall, some 10,000 athletes in both the elementary and high school divisions are coming for the week-long national games being hosted by the province of Pangasinan, only for the second time since 1995.
Though the games will begin on Sunday, this year's Palarong Pambansa will officially open on Monday in ceremonies slated at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center with President Benigno Aquino III as guest of honor and speaker.
Already in Pangasinan are the athletes from the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and Regions 3, 4, 4B, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.
It was the athletes from Region 4B (Mindoro, Masbate Romblon and Palawan area) who arrived first since early last week.
Nava said still to arrive are athletes from host Region 1, and those from Regions 2, 11, 12 and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
Nava said it is now all systems go for the 2012 Palarong Pambansa as she announced that all the playing venues as well as the billeting areas in Lingayen, Dagupan and San Carlos cities, Binmaley, Calasiao and Bugallon are now ready, except for just but a few finishing touches.
All the athletes who have arrived so far have in fact participated in the celebration of the Pangasinan Pistay Dayat (sea festival) last May 1 and the Dagupan Bangus Festival last April 30.
Many of them are now practicing at the NRSCC ovals and grounds, beach front in Lingayen and in other playing venues.*PNA
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