Four Provinces, 3 Cities Bid to Host 2018 Palarong Pambansa

Four provinces and three cities in Luzon have so far submitted their respective bids to the Department of Education (DepEd) to host the 2018 Palarong Pambansa, DepEd Assistant Secretary Tomasino Umali said here.

Speaking during the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters (KBP) forum at President’s Hotel Thursday, Umali said the provinces that submitted their bids were Tarlac, Bulacan, Ilocos Sur and Benguet.

The cities that also submitted their respective bids were Baguio, Marikina and Ilagan in Isabela.

Baguio and Benguet joined each other in submitting their bid for Baguio City to be next year’s host for the Palaro.

The bid for Baguio were submitted jointly by Benguet Gov. Crescencio Pacalso, Baguio Mayor Mauricio Domogan; Bulacan by Gov. WIlhelmino Sy-Alvarado; Tarlac, Gov. Susan Yap; and Ilocos Sur, by Gov. Ryan Luis Singson.

The bid for Marikina was submitted by Mayor Marcelino Teodoro and Ilagan City by Mayor Evelyn Diaz.

Next year, Umali said, the Palarong Pambansa will go back to Luzon.

He said those who submitted bids to host the 2019 Palarong Pambansa from Mindanao were Mayors Zara Duterte of Davao City and Ronnel C. Rivers for General Santos City, and Governors p Antonio Cerilles for Zamboanga Del Sur, Adolph Edward Plaza for Agusan Del Sur, Sol Matugas for Surigao Del Norte and Herminia Ramiro of Misamis Occidental.

Joining Umali in the KBP forum were Philippine Sports Commission chairman Butch Ramirez and DepEd regional director Alma Ruby Torio.

DepEd will inspect and evaluate all the existing physical facilities of the bidders before awarding the most qualified host of the games. (Leonardo V. Micua/PNA)