IBA, Zambales – More than 12,000 athletes, coaches, and trainers in eighteen provinces and cities in Central Luzon paraded in the newly renovated Zambales Sports Complex for the formal opening of the 5-day Central Luzon Regional Athletic Association (CLRAA) 2012 meet hosted by this province on Sunday.
The opening rites included a grand parade, the “salute-to-the-athlete “competition, hoisting of the CLRAA banner, and the lighting of the urn.
Dr. Isabelita M. Borres, regional director of the Department of Education, formally opened the competition.
Zambales Governor Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. welcomed the participants with excitement for hosting a regional sports event. He invited the CLRAA community to share the hospitality of the Zambaleños.
“Today, we are proud to welcome you to the new, improved and expanded Zambales Sports Center. To all the Zambaleños, this stands for what we are, ready to do to enable change,” Ebdane said.
“The venues and facilities are all yours to make use of and enjoy. We have worked hand-in-hand with the Department of Education to mount a CLRAA meet that will be a memorable and successful gathering of our young athletic hopes. Who knows, the next Olympic gold medalist will be found among you,” he added.
Ebdane stressed that the province is more than ready to host another CLRAA meet in 2013.
Cavite’s Second District Representative Lani Mercado-Revilla, representing her husband Senator Ramon Revilla Jr., congratulated the participants of CLRAA 2012 and handed a donation amounting to P100,000 as additional prizes for the winning athletes.
Revilla, who was the event’s main guest, said: “It is in activities like this that we discover the potentials of the youth for the next generation’s league of sports professionals, active leaders and future partners of our government.”
“CLRAA is one avenue for the youth to really understand the importance of discipline and teamwork as appropriate with this year’s CLRAA theme “Sports for Discipline, Teamwork and Excellence,” she said.
The couple fully supports the upliftment of sports program in the country. They have been sponsoring various bills such as the increase in fundings for sports programs in public schools, and the creation of the Philippine Sports University.
Meanwhile, Olongapo City won the “Salute-to-the-Athlete” competition under the city category.
