2016 Palaro to include Region 18

The Negros Island Region or Region 18 will be included in the 2016 Palarong Pambansa to be hosted by Albay Province, former Negros Occidental governor Rafael Coscolluela.

Presently serving as a provincial consultant for the Negros Occidental, Coscolluela said Department of Education Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro confirmed that the proposal to include Region 18 in the list of Palaro contingents is “good as approved”.

He said the DepEd and the host province are working on the details of NIR's inclusion in the annual school-based sporting competition.

While the exit of Negros Occidental from the Western Visayas contingent will cost Region 6 a lot of athletes, it can also open opportunities for other West Visayan athletes to excel, Coscolluela said.

Athletes from Negros Occidental accounted for 24 out of the 42 gold medals won by Western Visayas in the 2015 Palarong Pambansa hosted by Tagum City, Davao del Norte.

Western Visayas finished third place overall with 42 gold medals, 48 silvers and 41 bronzes as the National Capital Region dominated the event with 98-67-71 gold-silver-bronze tally, while Southern Tagalog grabbed the second place with 51-41-40 finish.

With only the two Negros provinced under Region 18, he said athletes who will represent NIR to the Palaro will have to be selected instead of holding the usual regional meet.