By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Department of Education (DepEd) confirmed that there will be no Palarong Pambansa this year.
Following the guidelines imposed by the national government amid the COVID-19 pandemic, DepEd canceled the event to avoid mass gatherings and follow social distancing.
In an online press conference last Tuesday, Secretary Leonor Briones announced the decision collectively approved by the entire department.
This is the second time that Palarong Pambansa was canceled, the first was in 2004 when they had to cancel due to the National Elections.
After 16 years, the national inter-region event was again canceled that was initially scheduled to be held in Occidental Mindoro.
“Yung ating usual activities na napaka-exciting, nakakatuwa, at buong bansa nakikisali talaga ay pansamantalang kina-cancel natin. Tulad ng halimbawa ng Palarong Pambansa na buong bansa talaga ay naglalaro. As many as thirty thousand people gathered there in Davao,” Sec. Briones said.
Events to be competed against are archery, arnis, tennis, volleyball, taekwondo, athletics, aquatics, basketball, badminton, baseball, football, chess, boxing, gymnastics, futsal, sepak takraw, table tennis, and softball.
