MANILA, 14 March 2003 — The nagging question now is: should the 2003 Palarong Pambansa push through in Tubod, Lanao del Norte, amid worsening peace and order situation in Mindanao that has raised concern for the safety of the athletes and delegations?
One thing is certain, war has already spilled into the venue of this year’s nationwide multi-event meet which is traditionally the breeding ground of future national athletes.
The Palarong Pambansa in Tubod, Lanao del Norte, slated May 4-11, is in danger of being canceled or transferred to another venue after violence erupted in the area between government troops and rebels.
Immediately, Puerto Princesa City in Palawan has signified its intention to stage the Palaro in the aftermath of the bombing incidents that hit Mindanao earlier this week.
He declared Palawan’s willingness and readiness to take over as this year’s host just in case the peace and order situation in Mindanao remains unstable.
“If it is offered to us by the PSC (Philippine Sports Commission) and if Lanao del Norte is officially out of it, we are willing and available to be the alternative host,” said Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn. “For as long as the PSC gives Puerto Princesa its full support for the Palaro, we would guarantee a successful staging of the event.”
Hagedorn stressed his offer has the support of several mayors from different areas in Palawan, adding they have encouraged him to bring the games to the provincial capital if Tubod can’t host it.
Puerto Princesa successfully staged the Batang Pinoy last December and will host the Southern Tagalog Regional Athletic Association starting March 22.
But Palawan also had its share of terror from extremist groups in recent years when a group of tourists from Dos Palmas Resort were kidnapped. Bacolod City has also expressed interest in taking over from Tubod. Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella said he is set to talk to Lanao del Norte Rep. Abdullah “Bobby” Dimaporo on the staging of the multi-sports meet for high school and elementary students.
“We’d be glad to (host the Palaro) but I want to talk to Rep. Dimaporo first on Monday,” said Puentevella, a former Philippine sports commissioner. “If he (Dimaporo) tells me it’s okay, then we’ll go for it.” Unlike the sprawling Mindanao Sports Complex, Bacolod’s Panaad Sports Complex has already hosted a number of Palaro games and some national events like the Philippine National Youth Games-Batang Pinoy.
The City of Manila has also offered to host the Palaro, with the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex and the San Andres Sports Complex being considered as venues.
Elements of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) raided the Buayan Village in Tubod and mounted simultaneous attacks in a military detachment and a power station in nearby towns in Lanao del Norte recently, triggering fears the Palaro meet might either be called off or moved out of Tubod for the third time. Prior to that, even a peaceful place like Davao City was rocked by a bomb blast at the international airport and blame is placed on the MILF.
PSC chairman Eric Buhain said he’d been assured by the Dimaporos regarding the safe and smooth conduct of the Palaro
But the PSC, the lead agency for the multi-event competition for student-athletes, is not about to come up with a hasty decision on the Palaro yet.
Both the PSC, which handles the staging of the Palaro, and the management committee of the Department of Education, are waiting from a directive from Malacañang before making a decision.
“I’m trying to get in touch first with authorities, particularly the local government unit led by (Lanao del Norte) government Imelda Dimaporo and Rep. Bobby Dimaporo, the Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff and the police to get an assessment on the situation in Tubod and the entire province of Lanao del Norte,” said Buhain. “Unless a recommendation from the Armed Forces of the Philippines says that we go elsewhere, the Palaro would go on in Tubod.”
Lanao del Norte Rep. Bobby Dimaporo and his governor-wife Imelda have built a multi-million peso sports complex in Tubod for the Palaro. Tubod spent 500-million pesos to put up the Mindanao Civic Center specifically for the Palaro, which had long been waiting to host the country’s premiere event for high school and elementary students.
It was supposed to host the Palaro in 2000 but similar armed conflict in nearby Kauwagan town forced the PSC and the then Department of Education, Culture and Sports to recommend its transfer to Bacolod City.
The Palaro was called off the following year due to budgetary constraints. Last year, just as Tubod officials thought their long-awaited hosting would finally push through, the Palaro management committee recommended the Games be moved to Naga City.
But even if the Palaro would still push through in Tubod, it is doubtful the number of participants would reach officials’ expectation of 8,000.
Delegates from Manila, who comprise the powerhouse National Capital Region (NCR) team, have reportedly voiced out their concern in the peace and order situation in Tubod and are considering the possibility of withdrawing from the meet.
Parents, public school teachers and even the students themselves have expressed worry over the developments in Tubod.
But Buhain said there is no cause for alarm, saying he will initiate moves of securing a declaration from the MILF and other rebel groups to ensure the safety of the participants, particularly the elementary and high school students.
Buhain said he would seek the help of Secretary Eduardo Ermita, a presidential adviser on peace process, in securing an MILF declaration he said would help convince parents to allow their children to go to Tubod.
“We’re not even thinking of the Palaro postponement because we in the PSC are all expecting that the Palarong Pambansa will push through in May as planned,” said Buhain.
“In fact, we have plans of asking the MILF and other rebel groups in Mindanao through my father-in-law Secretary Ermita a pledge or a declaration that they will leave the Palaro participation in peace. We hope that this declaration could somewhat help us convince parents to let their children participate in the Palaro,” added Buhain.
Interestingly, the government has initiated a similar move when the Palaro was staged in Lucena City, Quezon in the 80s.
Another possible scenario would have the PSC, Lanao del Norte and the management committee of the Palarong Pambansa letting President Arroyo decide whether or not this year’s edition will push through in Tubod.
It can be recalled that President Arroyo also stepped into a similar picture last year when then Department of Education Secretary Raul Roco called for a postponement of the Palaro, which was eventually staged in Naga City in June while handing over the 2003 hosting to Tubod.
There is also the possibility that the PSC, the Mancom and the Dimaporos – Lanao del Norte Gov. Imelda and Rep. Bobby – might re-schedule the annual meet for high school and elementary students to a later date, possibly late May or early June.
This will give organizers enough time to work out a plan and convince parents who are worried over the worsening peace and order situation in the region to allow their children to compete.
