Vol. IV, Issue II

OFFICIAL SPORTS PUBLICATION, 2012 PALARONG BICOL, NAGA CITY, PHILIPPINES, 4400

March 13, 2012

Department of Interior and Local Gov-ernment Secretary Jes-se M. Robredo cited the importance of sports when he spoke to the delegates of the Pala-rong Bikol 2012 at the opening program held yesterday March 11, 4 p.m., Naga City Colise-um. He said that in sports, many Bicolanos are given the foundation of discipline and the life-long experiences.

Although he revealed that in a meet-ing held involving the Philippine Sports Com-mission the idea of re-moving Palaro came out since the country is not

doing good in

By Irma A. De Jesus

daughter Jillian G. Robredo who brings hon-or to the family have learned discipline. He told the ath-letes that the Palarong Bicol‟s choosing from among them to represent the region in the Pala-rong Pambansa may soon be forgotten by many but they, who will be chosen will always remember the experi-ence of being the repre-sentatives of the school, the division and the re-gion. He concluded by encouraging them that in the national level, re-gardless of what division they come from, they should work as one for Bicol.

his belief that with Pala-ro, many Bicolanos in-cluding his swimmer-

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by: J

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Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse M. Robredo talks his keynote speech during the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Palarong Bicol.

in ternat ionalcompeti -tions, Robredo ex-pressed

By: Marites D. Reforsardo

in Lingayen, Pan-gasinan. Jobert Nar-vadez conceived this picturesque maneu-ver. The other train-ers namely: Jennifer Abarrientos, Pearl Gaor, Pascual Su-mangid, Ramon Barreda, Joseph Condeno, and Be-nigna Valle, assisted in the 2-week swel-tering practice and preparation. “It’s magnifi-

cent!” ex-claimed Jocelyn P. Castelo of Marcial O. Ra-ñola Memorial School (MORMS) of Albay Division in one of the interviews in March 11 opening.

One Thou-sand and eighty se-cond year students of Camarines Sur National High School, with many-hued sunflower props, flaunted the Naga City Coliseum grounds and per-formed an all-applauded, vibrant mass demonstration mesmerizing around 8,000 delegates of 13 divisions. A deaf-ening sound

clattered as they demonstrated syner-gy of discipline in all routines.

Overjoyed with the upshot, De-pEd Regional Direc-tor Orfelina O. Tuy signaled to CSNHS Principal Nely SB. Abad to replicate the remarkable “FANtasy” exhibition to be performed by Region V delegates in the opening of Palarong Pambansa

“ For this year‟s Bicol Palaro, let this be the guiding principle: „Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.’”(John Wooden)

- Emma I. Cornejo Naga City DepEd

Schools Division Superintendent

By Honesto M. Pesimo Jr.

Albay province hopes to be the champi-on of this year‟s grandest Bikol sports event, the Palarong Bicol 2012 on March 12-16 here in Na-ga City. The 2011 Pala-ro champion, Albay looks forward to duplicate its feat by amassing gold medals in athletics, gym-nastics and ball games. According to technical staff of the Albay Division Lito Orbase,

athletes were trained for a month and were given financial support by the government of Albay. Flor Lositaño, Libon Elementary School teacher-coach, also ex-pects to win in softball in elementary girls. Her team is the defending champion. When asked what team would be the Albay‟s rival in the overall championship, Jonas Jovellanos, Albay coach said, “Camarines Norte or Camarines Sur.”

Photo by: Jose V. Collera

News

EVENT CATEGORY VENUE

ARCHERY Secondary Naga City Science High School

ARNIS Elementary ALDP Mall Activity Center (Pure Gold)

Secondary ALDP Mall Activity Center (Pure Gold)

ATHLETICS Elementary Metro Naga Sports Complex, Pacol, Naga City

Secondary Metro Naga Sports Complex, Pacol, Naga City

BADMINTON Elementary Naga City Gymnasium

Secondary Naga City Gymnasium

BASEBALL Elementary Baseball Field, Metro Naga Sports Complex, Pacol, Naga City

Secondary Baseball Field, Metro Naga Sports Complex, Pacol, Naga City

BASKETBALL Elementary Naga City Gymnasium (PLAN A) STI Naga Covered Court (PLAN B)

Secondary Metro Naga Sports Complex, Pacol, Naga City (PLAN A) STI Naga Covered Court (PLAN B)

BOXING Elementary SM City Naga Activity Center

Secondary SM City Naga Activity Center

CHESS Elementary STI Naga Campus

Secondary STI Naga Campus

FOOTBALL Elementary Metro Naga Sports Complex, Pacol, Naga City (PLAN A) Holy Rosary Minor Seminary (PLAN B)

Secondary Metro Naga Sports Complex, Pacol, Naga City (PLAN A) Ateneo De Naga University Main Campus (PLAN B)

GYMNASTICS Elementary People‟s Hall, City Hall Compound

Secondary People‟s Hall, City Hall Compound

SEPAK TAKRAW

Elementary Metro Naga Sports Complex, Pacol, Naga City

Secondary Metro Naga Sports Complex, Pacol, Naga City

SOFTBALL Elementary Softball Field, Metro Naga Sports Complex, Pacol, Naga City

Secondary Softball Field, Metro Naga Sports Complex, Pacol, Naga City

SWIMMING Elementary Metro Naga Sports Complex, Pacol, Naga City

Secondary Metro Naga Sports Complex, Pacol, Naga City

TABLE TENNIS

Elementary University of Nueva Caceres

Secondary University of Nueva Caceres

TAEKWONDO Elementary LCC Mall

Secondary LCC Mall

TENNIS Elementary Metro Naga Sports Complex, Pacol, Naga City

Secondary Naga City Civic Center

VOLLEYBALL Elementary Universidad de Sta. Isabel Covered Court (PLAN A) Holy Rosary Minor Seminary (PLAN B)

Secondary Metro Naga Sports Complex, Pacol, Naga City (PLAN A) Don Bosco /Holy Rosary Minor Seminary (PLAN B)

(SEA Games). This chain of events set the stage for the international develop-ment of sepak takraw. However, it was the re-placement of the natural rattan ball, which tended to splinter and warp, with the more standardized synthet-ic plastic ball that really kicked the game's populari-ty into high gear. In 1990, sepak takraw was included at the Asian Games in Beijing. Women also got in on the action with the first wom-en's championships in Thailand hosted in 1997. Today, more than 20 coun-tries have national sepak takraw associations with representatives on the board of the global govern-ing body, the International Sepak Takraw Federation (ISTAF). On Its Way to Olympic Status Sepak takraw is one of the fastest growing sports in Asia, as well as many other parts of the world. The gravity-defying kicks, contorted aerial twists, turns of the body and the blinding speed of play astound spectators worldwide. For most of the past decade, Thailand has dominated international competitions, winning near-ly every major event. Ma-laysia turned the tide at the 2005 Manila SEA Games. Thailand and Malaysia will remain the teams to beat for the fore-seeable future, but other sepak takraw powerhouses such as Myanmar, South Korea, Singapore and Vi-etnam are closing in quick-ly. Asian nations are cur-rently lobbying to give the game Olympic Games, so as to attract wider audienc-es overseas and to give Asia a much-needed boost in the medals table - and it's only a matter of time before the region's beloved pastime takes its rightful place among other sports at the Olympic Games.

Where sepak takraw originated from remains a matter of intense debate in Southeast Asia, as several countries proud-ly claim it as their own. While this may never be satisfactorily determined, there is some agreement that the game was intro-duced to Southeast Asia through commercial con-tact with China, where an ancient form of the game originated. It is believed that many variations of the game evolved from an ancient Chinese military exercise, where soldiers would try to keep a feath-ered shuttlecock airborne by kicking it back and forth between two people. As the sport developed, the animal hide and chicken feathers were eventually replaced by balls made of woven strips of rattan. The first versions of sepak takraw were not so much of a competition, but rather cooperative dis-plays of skill designed to exercise the body, improve dexterity and loosen the limbs after long periods of sitting, standing or working. The modern ver-sion of sepak takraw is fiercely competitive and began taking shape in Thailand almost 200 years ago. In 1829, the Siam Sports Association drafted the first rules for the game. Four years later, the asso-ciation introduced the vol-leyball-style net and held the first public contest. Within just a few years, sepak takraw was intro-duced to the Physical Training curriculum in schools. In Bangkok, the murals at Wat Phra Kaew (the Temple of the Emerald Buddha) depict the Hindu god Hanuman playing sepak takraw in a ring with a troop of fellow monkeys. Other historical accounts also mention the game earlier during the reign of King Naresuan of

Ayutthaya. The game be-came such a cherished local custom that an exhibi-tion of volleyball-style sepak takraw was staged to celebrate the kingdom's first constitution in 1933, the year after Thailand abolished absolute monar-chy. Nowadays, sepak takraw is played on a modi-fied badminton doubles court, with the net standing five feet above the ground. Each team consists of three players; left inside, right inside and back serv-er. Going Global: Standard-ising the Rules Almost every nation that played this game knew it by a different name. In Malaysia, Singa-pore and Brunei, it's called 'sepak raga', whereas in Thailand it's commonly known as 'takraw'. The same game goes by the name of 'sipa' in the Philip-pines, 'da cau' in Vietnam, 'rago' in Indonesia, and 'kator' in Laos. Since sepak takraw was played and enjoyed in several coun-tries, there were a lot of inconsistencies in terms of how the game was played and judged. In 1960, repre-sentatives from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Lao and Thailand met in Kuala Lumpur to standardize rules and regulations for the game. And after a long and heated debate, con-sensus was reached that the sport would henceforth be officially called sepak takraw. They also formed the Asian Sepak Takraw Federation (ASTAF), and translated the rules into English, setting the stage for the first international competition, held in Malay-sia in 1965, at the South-east Asian Peninsular Games, or SEAP Games, the predecessor to today's Southeast Asian Games

Please send articles (any genre/form, any medium: Bikol, Tagalog, or English). Contact persons:

Salve Selga Elvie Evangelista

Honesto Pesimo Jr.

Media Center, Palarong Bicol 2012, Plaza Quezon, Naga City.

EDITORIAL

has a continuous sport program that does not only begin at the staging of the City Meet and ends after the Palarong Pambansa but a year-round endeavour to pro-duce excellent athletes that are ready to com-pete and win internation-ally. We do not have to mention, the financial incentives that are of-fered to those who will win in the City Meet be-ginning this July. We know that other LGUs have been doing the same.

Soaring high is not only the job of the LGUs and the DepEd but also the concern of the athletes who like to be victorious in their chosen sport. They should have the determi-nation and discipline to win and to bring honor to the place they call home. Soaring high will entail a lot of cooperation and a strong sense of excel-lence of the athletes, parents, sports enthusi-asts and benefactors, the DepEd and the Local Government Units. If all of these forces unite, winning will always be at hand, whether in sports

or in life.

Palarong Bicol, also known as Bicol Meet, is one of the few sport grass root specta-cles that hone the talent and skill of the Bikolano elementary and high school students for the Palarong Pambansa. Other sport events are District Meet and City or Municipal Meet. Luckily, Pala-rong Bicol is an annual program of the Depart-ment of Education to produce promis ing young athletes in the different sport disci-plines. Thanks to Direc-tor Orfelina Tuy and Assistant Director Di-osdado M. San Antonio of the Department of Education, Region V and Superintendent Emma I. Imperial and Assistant Superintendent Loida N. Nidea of the Naga City Division who brought the 2012 Palarong Bicol to Naga City. The city

By Honesto M. Pesimo Jr.

becomes the venue for such a noble program. Unluckily, in the past years, the production fell short when these ath-letes competed in the Palarong Pambansa. The Bikolano athletes were always a kick away, a splash away, a stride away, a move away from receiving a gold medal on the victory stand.

When was the last time that Bikol region had the chance to be-come the overall champi-on? Last year, Bikol was number 6. Always, the National Capital Region or Manila, or the Central Visayas or Cebu would emerge as the champion. We would say that we prepared a lot, that we spent this or that much but what is the result? A mediocre performance. We suffer from the agony of defeat. To improve such a dismal showing, there is a need for us to soar high, as the Naga City Mayor John G. Bongat, would always reiterate in his speech. The Naga City govern-ment has put a lot of logistics and financial support in this kind of game. The young mayor

Salvacion B. Selga Chairperson

Christian Evangelista Cartoonist

Julius D. Bulahan Lay-out Artist

Honesto M. Pesimo Jr. Ruby Bausas

Leizel Manondo Sylvia Serrado Edna San Jose

Irma A. de Jesus

Elvie B. Evangelista Baby Ruby F. Laurente

Rowena Tabilog Neil Manaog

Marites D. Reforsado Pipo Evangelista Eugene J. Agor

Staff Editors

Sports Stakeholders: See You in Catanduanes in 2013

“We are ready!” Trifold leadership in hosting a Regional Palaro strongly signifies sports stakeholdership. The initial move of the Province of Catanduanes, an island province situ-ated in the eastern coast of Bicol Peninsula needs some backing up. The Chief Executive of the Province of Catanduanes, Hon. Joseph Cua and the District Con-gressional Representative, Hon. Cesar Sarmiento ex-pressed their intention of hosting the 2013 Bicol Palaro in an interview by the Sports Gazette during the Solidarity Meeting of the Palaro at Naga City Coliseum. In affirma-tion to this desire, their delegation banner also inscribed, “See you in Catanduanes next year.” Dr. Socorro de la Rosa, the DepED Schools Division Superintendent of said Province also expressed their goal during the Con-gressman‟s Night, adding that there was no opposition. This is stakeholdership in action. The kind of stakeholdership determines the quality of outcomes. While Wikipedia defines leadership as a process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplish-ment of a common task", the academe explains stake-holdership that it includes owning of the entire project, program, or process; where the stakeholders themselves become accountable for its outcome. As shown in the Lighting of the urn during the Opening rites, at least four stakeholders were represent-ed, the athletes, the coaches, parents, LGU & DepED. There could be more… the business sector, other sports enthusiasts, etc. The collective effort of these institutions will spell out the kind of citizens we want to have. As the Hon. DILG Secretary Jesse M. Robredo emphasized, when we conduct Sports Competition, it is not always intended to join the Olympics or other international com-petitions, rather, to develop discipline among our constit-uents. “ Nagtutubod kita na parti ini can pundasyon can paggibo nin mga ciudadadong Filipino na may disiplina na maging tama an lawas asin magamit ini sa karahayan” One year is set to come. One year to prepare. Catanduanes delegation may win, lose, or regain their record holders, what matters most is to look forward to joining them in their effort to showcase their sports stake-holdership in action.

Photo essay

PRAYERFUL MOMENT. With head held low, DepEd Regional

Director Orfelina O. Tuy (front, fifth from left), together with other

DepED officials, fervently prays at the opening program of the 2012

Palarong Bicol.

FLEX YOUR MUSCLES. The Regional DepED Fun Walk/Run

becomes the first initial activity of the Palarong Bicol. More than

2000 participants, young and old, flex their muscles, walk, run and

enjoy the beauty and grandiose that is Naga. Assistant Regional

Director Diosdado M. San Antonio leads the sport activity.

LRV’s NEW ANGELS. Camarines Sur Second District Congress-

man Luis R. Villafuerte (center, in white polo) pose with DepEd and

Palaro officials and guests during the Congressman’s Night held at

San Bernadino, Calabanga, Camarines Sur. The Congressman treat-

ed his guests with sumptuous food, music, dance, laughter and

friendship.

TOO MANY HEADS, TOO MANY IDEAS. Special Regional

MANCOM of DepED officials is held just before the Congress-

man’s Night at San Bernardino, Calabanga Camarines Sur. The

staging of 2012 Palarong Bicol and the upcoming Palarong Pam-

bansa are among the agenda that are discussed.

UNFURLED FLAGS TOWARD VICTORY. The flags of the

different Divisions are swayed by the afternoon wind at the start of

the 2012 Palarong Bicol on March 11. 13 divisions with estimated

8,000 delegates parade around the city to join other Palaro guests in

the formal opening of the Bicol sports spectacle.

ENTICING CATANDUANES. Delegates of the Catanduanes Di-

vision entices and invites onlookers to join them in the 2013 Pala-

rong Bicol that will be held in the Province of Catanduanes.