It was assured during a virtual technical conference yesterday that playing venues, billeting schools, as well as amenities are all set for the 2023 Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association (CARAA) Meet and Regional Academic Festival (RAF) on April 29, 30, and May 1, 2023, with the City Government of Baguio City hosting the event.
As one of the biggest sporting and academic events in the region, DepEd Baguio City OIC-Schools Division Superintendent Soraya T. Faculo announced that they are working closely with the Office of the City Mayor and the City Sports Office along with other partners for the smooth simultaneous conduct of the CARAA and RAF.
The billeting schools have already started their preparations for the arrival of contingents starting on the afternoon of April 27. The Baguio City delegation, officiating officials, and members of the technical working committees will be housed in Baguio City National High School. The Abra delegation will be billeted at the Rizal Elementary School while Apayao will stay at Mabini Elementary School. Delegates from Benguet will be at Doña Josefa Cariño Elementary School and Ifugao delegates will be housed at Baguio SPED Center. Mt. Province will be staying in Quezon Elementary School, Kalinga Province in Bonifacio Elementary School, and Tabuk City will be accommodated in Baguio Central School.
Athletics, boxing, and swimming are the only sporting events to be played at Baguio City Athletic Bowl due to ongoing restoration of the playing venue. Thus, safety measures are to be strictly implemented as advised by the City Sports Office to avoid undesired incidents during the games.
Rubber mats will be ready at the President Fidel V. Ramos (PFVR) Gym for taekwondo, wrestling at Doño Aurora Elementary School covered court, and wushu at Woodsgate Pelota Court, Camp 7.
According to ESSD Chief and CARAA Technical Management and Advisory Committee Chairperson Edgar H. Madlaing, the request for the use of other venues especially in the universities and private sports centers were favorably granted. Arnis will be at the University of Baguio (UB) Gym, futsal will be played at the Benguet State University open gym, and billiards at the 456 Billiard Hall in Session Road.
Public facilities are likewise ready for other events. Paragames for Bocce will be played at the back of Burnham Park Skating Rink, archery will be sported at Melvin Jones football field, chess will be accommodated at the SDO Baguio City 3rd floor conference room, gymnastics at the Baguio City National High School auditorium, and tennis will be performed at the Benguet Sports Center in Wangal, La Trinidad.
In this year’s CARAA, only the above select focus sports based on Palarong Pambansa performance of the region for the past three years will be played which is in adherence to the guidelines issued by the Department through DepEd Memorandum No. 005, s. 2022.
For Measurable Sports like archery, swimming, and athletics, only those athletes who will meet the National Qualifying Standards will compete in the Palarong Pambansa.
The Olympic Medal System will be applied thus, ranking is based on the number of gold, silver, and bronze medals dominated in the various sports events.
On the other hand, the Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC) and the Regional Festival of Talents (RFOT) are the two major activities for the RAF. All RSPC individual and group events will be conducted at Lucban Elementary School.
Various activities per learning area for the RFOT are lined up in different venues. Events for the Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) will be held in Pines City National High School – Senior High School, Baguio City National High School – Senior High School, and Mil-an National High School.
Further, academic events for Music, Arts, Physical Education and Health (MAPEH), English, Filipino, Madrasah Education Program, Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao, Science, Araling Panlipunan, Special Education (SpED), and Kindergarten will be catered in Lucban Elementary School.
This year’s joint conduct of the 2023 CARAA and RAF is historically significant as this is the first time DepEd-CAR will hold both academic and sports events in one setting.
- Public Affairs Unit, DepEd CAR Regional Office