• RICHARD T. CABALLERO JR.
The facilities to be used for various games of the 26th University Games (UNIGAMES) hosted by the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental and Bacolod City are all set as the competition commences today.
The province yesterday welcomed more than 1,500 athletes and coaches from 41 colleges and universities across the Philippines during the opening ceremony held at the Provincial Capitol grounds.
During the ceremony, De La Salle volleyball standout Angel Canino, a Negrense and a national team member, led the oath of sportsmanship with Jay Biñas, badminton tournament manager, who led the oath for officials and coaches.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said yesterday that when the UNIGAMES sought the province’s support, he immediately heeded the call out of respect to Negrense La Salle Bro. Rolly Dizon, who founded the sporting event in 1996.
“All our facilities are set, and this is also a dry run for us since we will be hosting the national PRISAA (Private Schools Athletic Association) next year,” he said in an interview.
Most matches will be played in various venues in Bacolod City, except for women’s volleyball and futsal, which will be held at Natalio G. Velez Arts and Sports Center in Silay City and Carlos Hilado Memorial State University, respectively.
Meanwhile, all athletes and coaches will be housed in 7 schools in the city, while those who want to stay in hotels are free to do so at their own expense.
The competition will serve 9 sports, including basketball, volleyball, beach volleyball, futsal, football, athletics, badminton, taekwondo, and table tennis, which will be held from today until Thursday, October 30.
UNIGAMES is an annual sporting event that started in 1996 in Bacolod City, with the University of Saint La Salle as the first host university. The event now enters its 26th year after being suspended for 4 years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.*
