Pakikisawsaw

(This column appears in today's edition of the Leyte-Samar Daily Express)

Hi there! It’s another weekend and the streamers are all over the place announcing that in the next few days Calbayog will be EVRAA City.

It’s all systems go for EVRAA 2011. It’s the second time that the City of Calbayog will be hosting the said sports meet. Last Saturday, Mayor Reynaldo Uy met with the chairpersons of the various EVRAA 2011 committees for some final updates on the said event. And last Monday, he called on all employees and all Calbayognons to extend their support to the sports event.

All 10 Schools Divisions of Eastern Visayas have confirmed their attendance to the sports meet. The delegations will be billeted at various public and privates schools in the city. Biliran Division (at the Trinidad Elementary School), Calbayog City Division (Calbayog East Central School), Eastern Samar Division (Trinidad National High School) Leyte Division (Calbayog Pilot Central School), Maasin Division (San Policarpo Central School), Northern Samar Division (Calbayog City National High School), Ormoc City Division (Carayman Elementary School), Samar Division (San Policarpo National High School), Sourthern Leyte Division (Calbayog City SPED Center) and Tacloban City Division (Christ the King College).

EVRAA 2011 will officially commence on Sunday with the grand parade at 1:00 pm. It will be followed by the Opening Ceremonies at the Northwest Samar State University Oval. The day’s events will be capped by simultaneous welcome dinners at the various billeting quarters; and a fellowship dinner and cultural program for the officials and superintendents. The fellowship dinner dubbed as “Pagtigman” will be held at the Nijaga Park.

There will be 18 official events during EVRAA 2011. These are Archery, Arnis, Athletics, Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Chess, Football, Gymnastics, Softball, Sipa, Sepak Takraw, Swimming, Taekwando, Tennis, Table Tennis and Volleyball.

These events will be held in different venues namely the Calbayog City Sports Center, the Calbayog Cultural and Convention Center, Frs. David and Leopold Auditorium (at Christ the King College), La Milagrosa Academy Auditorium, NwSSU Campus, the new Calbayog Land Transport Terminal, Marju Krisel Resort Swimming Pool, Brgy. Carmen Covered Court, Calbayog City Joggers’ Basketball Court, Brgy. San Policarpo Covered Court and Calbayog East Central School.

To our athletes, the various committees and to Calbayog, let’s all put our best foot forward and ensure a successful EVRAA 2011.

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And what is my column without my usual comments (opinionated as these maybe) about the world around me? Well, it’s sad that it took a bomb for PNoy to be so Presidential. I mean when he appeared on TV to make an official statement after the incident. Oops, that’s not my comment yet. Right after the event happened, while the police were trying to do their job, suddenly those who are not exactly friendly the President were up on their toes lambasting who else, but PNoy. Well, on the part of PNoy, or any President for that matter, such pakikisawsaw a.k.a. harsh words and criticism and what have are part of the job, or maybe more like occupational hazards. C’mon guys lets give it to the man, I mean the President and for the authorities to finish their jobs, and then go, I mean do the comments. I guess after the Luneta hostage fiasco, the police had learned to do its job. But on the other hand, when lives are involved, you can’t help but turn to God and afterwards, the government (I hope I can hear you say yes to that). I do not disagree with a TV anchor when he said something like Mr. President sana naman ang daang matuwid ay di puno nga karahasan.

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This is it for now. We wish all athletes and officiating officials of EVRAA 2011 the best in forthcoming competitions. And to PNoy, we also wish you the best. Nice weekend everyone! Ciao!