BAGUIO CITY – Shouts of victory filled the Baguio City Athletic Bowl as the city’s athletes rejoiced during the closing ceremony of the Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association meet 2016 on Wednesday(Feb. 17) afternoon.
Earning 212 gold medals, 91 silver medals and 79 bronze medals, Baguio City Team retained its title as the over-all champion in the week-long CARAA meet spearheaded by the Department of Education and hosted this year by the city of Baguio.
The city’s elementary division hauled 88-34-30 gold-silver-bronze medals while its secondary counterpart took home 123-56-49 medals. This is Baguio’s highest gold medal haul in three years.
Mayor Mauricio Domogan led the city and DepEd – Baguio officials in receiving the championship trophy from DepEd-CAR Regional Director Ellen Donato and Assistant Director Francis Bringas during the awarding and closing ceremonies.
The Province of Benguet emerged the 1st Runner Up garnering 43 gold, 93 silver, 87 bronze medals, followed by Ifugao as the 2nd Runner Up with 20 gold, 34 silver, 59 bronze. Mountain Province landed 3rd runner up with 19 gold, 36 silver, 70 bronze; Kalinga-Tabuk- 4th runner up with 17 gold, 27silver, 44 bronze; Abra- 5th runner up with 16 gold, 31silver, 34 bronze while Team Apayao got 8 gold, 22, silver, 40 bronze.
Athletes also competed in indigenous Filipino games for the title of “Larong Lahi” which is comprised of ‘Kadang-kadang’ and ‘Sanggul’ or arm-wrestling.
In the game Kadang-kadang, Kalinga-Tabuk City team took the first gold at the opening of the CARAA meet on Saturday as they defeated Apayao, last year’s champion.
Winners for the arm wrestling 55.0 Category were Romeo Galate Jr. of Benguet Team (gold medalist), Briyan Sapdoy of Mountain Province (Silver medalist) and Roel Nanongna of Ifugao (bronze).
Winners for the 55. 01 Category were Arnold Chalis Jr. of Baguio City Team (gold) Jhon Jhon Requiso of Apayao(silver), and Mt. Province’s Reden Acdong(bronze).
Kalinga –Tabuk City won the title for the Special games joined by differently abled athletes with 15 gold, 10 silver, 2 bronze medals. Other winners are Baguio City team with 14 golds 15 silvers, 13 bronze, Benguet team with 6 golds, 8 bronze and Mt. Province with 2 golds, 1 bronze.
Moreover, certificates of appreciation with cash prize were also given to deserving billeting stations and delegations that showed outstanding performance. Special Awards include Most Clean, Green and Eco-Friendly Billeting Host School won by Baguio SPED Center(1st), Rizal Elementary School(2nd) and a tie between Mabini Elementary School and Quezon Elementary School for the 3rd place.
The Ifugao delegation won as the Most Clean, Green and Eco- Friendly Delegation, 2nd place- Kalinga-Tabuk City, and 3rd place- Abra delegation.
Well organized delegations were also acknowledged with the Most Disciplined Delegation awarded to Kalinga-Tabuk City (1st), Ifugao (2nd) and Mt. Province (3rd).
According to DepEd Regional Sports Coordinator Agustin Gumuwang, all top three winners in each event will be trained in preparation for the 2016 Palarong Pambansa scheduled on April 10-18 in Legaspi City, Albay./JDP/ RMC & Abegail Clemente and Lalaine Gala-Gala-PIA/UC Intern
