“It is the policy of the state to promote physical education and encourage sports programs, league competitions and amateur sports, including training for international competitions, to foster self-discipline, teamwork and excellence for the development of a healthy and alert citizenry” – (Republic Act No. 10588), DepEd Usec. Tonisito Umali echoed in his remarks.
“In support to the Department of Education’s (DepEd) thrust in promoting the holistic development of its learners through sports despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and defying its crippling effects, Nestle Philippines, Inc., through its flagship brand MILO, will conduct the first ever MILO-DepEd Palarong Pambahay from May 21 to 22, 2022, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. via Facebook Live,”
Milo Sports Executive Carlo Sampan announced. MILO-DepEd Palarong Pambahay is an inter-school, inter-sports, skills demonstration, home-based junior virtual sports competition featuring eight sports namely Athletics, Arnis, Basketball, Football, Gymnastics, Jump Rope, Karate, and Taekwondo. It will be participated in by a total of 2,000 athletes and 300 schools nationwide.
CRITERIA
The Competition is open to all public and private elementary and secondary school student-athletes aged seven (7) to 15 years old. It is an online/virtual multi sports inter-school competition and is open to all students, male or female, in the Elementary and Secondary Division of public and private schools in the Philippines.
Registration for schools started on April 18 to May 6, 2022. Competitions are divided into two (2) divisions: Age 12 and under division for Elementary Students (Grades 1-6, ages 7-12). The cut-off year of which is the year 2010 and under division for Secondary Junior (Grades 7 to 10, ages 13-15) provided they will meet the age cut-off 2007.
There will be two (2) sets of overall winners – one for the Age 12 and Under Division and one for the Age 15 and Under Division. It will be based in point system to determine the winners.
SIDELIGHT EVENTS
There will be sidelight events during the (2) two day event broadcast: The Cheerdance Competition and the Highest Virtual Audience. In the Cheerdance Competition the performance must not exceed to 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Timing will begin with the first and end with the last organized word, movement, or note of music. Members must wear face masks all throughout the performance. Teams must also observe physical distancing in their choreography. No physical contact (i.e. holding hands, lifting, etc.) Must use the provided MILO jingles and/or mixed with live drumbeats or beats and sound effects that are not under copyright of another entity or organization. MILO Props / labels should be used in the routine as part of the criteria.
In the Highest Virtual Audience the school communities in elementary and high school level can join to have the largest number of live virtual audience by commenting a combination of two (2) hashtags on the MILO-DepEd Palarong Pambahay FB Live video on May 21 and 22, 2022. The school with the highest total number of hashtags for the 2-day livestream will be declared the winner. Multiple posts of one (1) Facebook profile in a single day will only be counted as one.
Winning schools will be announced on the MILO Facebook page within the week of May 25, 2022.
PRIZES
Cheerdance winners will receive cash prizes and a plaque as follows: 1st place 20,000.00 worth of sports equipment + plaque, 2nd place 15,000.00 worth of sports equipment + plaque, 3rd place 10,000.00 worth of sports equipment + plaque, 4th place 8,000 worth of sports equipment + plaque, and 5th place 5,000.00 worth of sports equipment + plaque.
The Top 3 Biggest School Virtual Audience will win the following: 1st place 20,000 worth of sports equipment + plaque, 2nd place 15,000 worth of sports equipment + plaque, and 3rd place 10,000 worth of sports equipment + plaque.
All inquiries and protests regarding technicalities of each sporting event must be directed to the Tournament Manager only. Any protest by the schools involving age, filed during the competitions, will not be entertained. However, the Event Organizer and Tournament Managers reserve the right to disqualify any athlete found overage with or without the proper counter-documents during the competitions. Any formal, written protest on technicalities during the competitions may only be filed by heads, coaches or authorized school representative.
The requirements for filing a formal protest are: a P5,000 non-refundable protest fee, a written protest duly signed by the school head or authorized coach, and attached evidence. All documents should be submitted before the broadcast (May 21-22) to the Tournament Manager or his authorized assistant (as approved by the Event Organizer) within 30 minutes after the game in question. Protests will not be entertained after the broadcast. All burden of proof lies upon the protester.
The Milo-DepEd Palarong Pambahay is privately organized. lt does not necessarily need to seek sanction from any of the National Sports Associations (NSAs). The Event Organizer shall operate on its own merits and appoint its own technical staff.
The Event Organizer reserves the right to accept or deny participants, modify any of the above rules and regulations as it deems necessary to ensure the success of the Milo-DepEd Palarong Pambahay.
COMMENTARY
Eye Write
By Mark Allen Sison
