Lingayen — “We have to give credit where credit is due and I think this is one area of development where Governor Espino stands out.”
This was said by PRISAA National President Gonzalo T. Duque right after the January 30 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing, executed between the provincial government of Pangasinan and the PRISAA for the hosting of the 2013 national collegiate games to be held from February 7-16 at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center (NRSCC), here.
“I am happy that the administration of Governor Amado T. Espino Jr. sees to it that sports development in the province of Pangasinan takes precedence or equal importance with other programs of the provincial government,” Duque added.
With the hosting of the provincial government to the Palarong Pambansa held May last year, Duque said that PRISAA technical staff and his co-workers were impressed by the sports facilities of the NRSCC.
Atty. Duque, President of Lyceum Northwestern University (LNU), even described how Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro was so impressed by the provincial government’s hosting that he donated all the sports equipment purchased by the DepEd for the Palarong Pambansa 2012, in support to the Sports Academy envisioned by Gov. Espino.
On behalf of the PRISAA, Duque thanked the provincial government and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for passing a resolution for the MOA signing.
Towards the end, he recounted how PRISAA Games was first hosted by the province in 2006, saying that NRSCC then was unfinished, so athletes as well as playing venues were accommodated in Binmaley, and cities of Dagupan and San Carlos.
However, Duque said that Pangasinan’s first hosting has become the benchmark of succeeding hostings by other regions.
Provincial Administrator Baraan who represented Governor Espino during the MOA signing said: “When we hosted the Palaro last year, the NRSCC was not yet really complete, so we assure you that we will have a better capability of hosting the PRISAA, because the NRSCC today is more complete.”
As he thanked Atty. Duque for bringing the PRISAA to the province of Pangasinan for the second time, Baraan said, the provincial government employees who worked as members of the Task Force Palaro are also better trained to handle PRISAA 2013.
Last year, the provincial government of Cebu hosted the sports spectacle and it became successful, now being a challenge for the provincial government to prove that Pangasinan is the benchmark of hosting national events.
About 5,000 to 6,000 thousand athletes, trainers and coaches will flock the province to vie for dominance in 20 sporting events. (PIO/Mark Gerry Naval Oblanca)