DAVAO CITY—Some 900 participants from 30 barangays in Davao City are expected to see action in the kick-off launch of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC)-backed Summer Children’s Games 2017 slated May 25 to 27 in separate venues here.
Philippine Sports Institute (PSI) Davao City coordinator Mark Paul Samante bared this during Thursday’s Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) Forum at The Annex of SM City Davao.
He said, “We have 60 teams in 3-on-3 basketball since each barangay can field two teams and 30 barangay teams for the girls volleyball. All 30 barangays will also have 10 participants each in the Larong Pinoy.”
He said the Games, designed for children 10 to 12 years old, aims to promote the PSC’s Sports for All program and fulfill President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s directive to bring sports to the grassroots level. The Children’s Games is also part of PSC Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez’s brainchild, Sports for Peace program, that was first held in 2008 with the Mindanao Children’s Games. Ramirez, who celebrated his birthday yesterday, is arriving earlier than the rest of the Manila-based PSC staff as he will be working closely with the PSI
Davao City group under Samante who is also being supported by PSI Mindanao coordinator Marlon Malbog in the final preparations of the Summer Children’s Games. The Sports Development Division of the City Mayor’s Office under Mikey Aportadera and the Liga ng Mga Barangay headed by its president Davao City Councilor January Duterte are among the major partners of the Games organizing committee.