Thousands of young Misamisnon athletes from all over the province are expected to compete in the various sports events of the inaugural One Asenso Misamis Occidental Provincial Athletic Association PALARO 2024, set to run from February 7 to 11.
The program aims to bring together “the best of the next generation of Misamisnon athletes,” according to Governor Henry Oaminal Sr., noting the provincial government’s close cooperation with the local divisions of the Department of Education (DepEd).
The multi-sport event includes competitions for basketball, volleyball, softball, baseball, football, futsal, sepak takraw, athletics, swimming, archery, boxing, wrestling, taekwondo, wushu, pencak silat, table tennis, badminton, chess, and arnis, as well as gymnastics and dance sport.
“For our pilot run of PALARO, we want our fellow Misamisnons to remember it as a spectacle and celebration of the different talents our youth hold,” said Oaminal.
With PALARO 2024 being held in Tangub City, Mayor Ben Canama assured that the local government is all set to host the arriving sports councils, athletes, and coaches for the duration of the program.
Medals and cash prizes await the competitions’ winners, along with the chance to represent the One Asenso Misamis Occidental Team at the Northern Mindanao Regional Athletic Association Meet (NMRAA) set to be held in Camiguin province in May.
The efforts behind the planning of PALARO 2024, according to Oaminal, is parallel to pushing an effective sports development program for Misamisnon youth. The governor also shared his dreams for better representation of the province in athletic competitions and development initiatives in Northern Mindanao and beyond.
“It’s a dream of mine to lay the groundwork of total sports development for the youth in our province—who knows, maybe in the next three years we could be raising champions and the next source of pride for Misamisnons,” Oaminal added.
One example of a Misamisnon homegrown athlete is John Mike Lera of Oroquieta City, who in 2023 bagged a silver medal in the long jump competition of the 83rd Singapore Open Track and Field Championship.
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