(Photo: Batang Pinoy (Philippine Sports Commission Grassroots Program)/Facebook)
The Batang Pinoy National Championships to be held in Baguio has been postponed by The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and the Baguio government due to the arrival of supertyphoon Mangkhut – locally known as Ompong.
The program was initially scheduled for September 15 but has been moved to September 17 to accommodate the 7,000 athletes ages 15 and below from all over the country. The opening ceremony has been cancelled, but the local government assures that a grand opening to celebrate the closing of the event will be pursued on September 22.
In addition, the Baguio city government has cancelled classes from September 17-21 for guests who are staying at their schools.
In a statement, the PSC shared, “The PSC is offering its dormitory facilities to any team or athlete who may need to seek shelter in Metro Manila in the course of their travel to Baguio City.”
“The Philsports Complex in Pasig City and the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila are ready to accept Batang Pinoy guests,” it added.
They also stated that they are planning to the move the National Finals for the upcoming years to the summer season instead, adding, “We received information that there are some delegations considering to pull out because of the storm. We understand their concern.”
One team that had to pull out is Davao, with Mayor Sara Duterte having to cancel the trip of over three hundred athletes “to ensure that the delegates will not be caught stranded in bad weather. We cannot compromise on the safety of the children, coaches, and support staff.”
She added, “Athletes and coaches who will pursue their travel to attend the games shall do so at their own risk.”
On the other hand, Team Bacolod will still pursue their travels with their athletes being guided by Geraldine Montemayor, secretariat head of the Office of Youth and Sports Development. She assured that she is in contact with PSC personnel for the guidance of her team in Manila.