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The Heat Is On For The 2007 Palarong Pambansa in South Cotabato
| Cat: FEATURES ,Philippine Sports | 
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The 2007 Palarong Pambansa kicked off last Sunday at Koronadal City in South Cotabato amidst the intolerable heat. The annual sports events for elementary and high school students featured 8,000 athletes and almost 2,000 officials and coaches from all 17 regions all aiming for pride and glory.
Philippine Sports Commission chairman William “Butch” Ramirez represented President Gloria-Macapagal Arroyo in the opening ceremonies at the South Cotabato Sports Complex. While, host Mayor Fernando Miguel welcomed the participants in the week-long event.
“We want to prove that a young city as ours can make its own place not only in the corporate world but in sports as well,” said Miguel in his short message in the Palaro website.
Almost 20 sporting events will be played in the week-long Palarong Pambansa. Events like swimming, track and fileld, taekwondo,chess, football, volleyball,sepak takraw, table tennis, badminton, gymnastic, softball, archery, dancesport and softball are included. For this year, basketball has been re-included after the country’s suspension in international play was lifted by International Basketball Federation.
But the funfare during the opening ceremony was cut short, when Carlos Minque del Prado, a high school principal from Marinduque died after suffering from a heart attack due to excruciating heat that reached 36 degree Celcius last Sunday afternoon.
On a lighter note, Aiza Rosero of Camarines Sur Academy bagged the first gold in the javelin throw event in the on-going Palarong Pambansa.
Aside from pride and glory, the Palarong Pambansa athletes are hoping to get a chance to play in the national team.
