By Helen Castaño | 08:15 AM July 10, 2024
Philippine President Ferdinand “Bong-Bong” Marcos Jr. was the keynote speaker during the opening ceremony of the Palarong Pambansa 2024 on Tuesday, July 9, at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC).
This marked the return of Palarong Pambansa to Cebu City after it hosted it 30 years.
A total of 541 student-athletes from the country’s different regions gathered for this year’s Palarong Pambansa.
At least 53 Boholano athletes- 39 students from the DepEd – Bohol Division and 14 students from the DepEd- Tagbilaran City Division- joined the event.
Marcos led various government officials who attended the opening ceremony.
“The Palarong [Pambansa] stands as the country’s pinnacle of national sporting events. Today, we continue this important legacy, celebrating not just the games but also celebrating the unity, the camaraderie, and the national pride that these games inspire,” he said.
“This event is more than just an inter-school [and] inter-regional competition. It is also a platform where we discover, where we develop, and hone future professional athletes, Olympians, and servant-leaders,” he added.
Marcos praised the Cebu City Government for its efficient hosting of the Palarong Pambansa despite the ‘short time’ available.
“To the local government officials and the people of Cebu, thank you for making this event possible. It was a great success. It is a significant achievement that you managed to put together this spectacular event in such a short time. I know there were many sleepless nights before we considered ourselves ready for this, but we thank you for that,” said Marcos.
The event will culminate on July 16.
The Palarong Pambansa is an annual multi-sport event involving student-athletes from the country’s different regions. The event, which started in 1948, is organized and governed by the Department of Education.
