More than 2,000 athletes and coaches from 35 schools from different parts of the country are expected to join the Philippine University Games (Unigames) in Negros Occidental in the last week of October.
Negros Occidental will host the 26th Unigames to be held from October 24 to 30, with 1,770 athletes and 279 coaches expected.
Roger Banzuela, president of the Unigames, said there are nine sporting events expected, including athletics, badminton, basketball, beach and indoor volleyball, futsal, football, table tennis, and taekwondo.
Some of the venues for the games are the Panaad Park and Stadium and United Shuttlers Badminton Center in Barangay Tangub, Bacolod City, Carlos Hilado Memorial State University Gym in Talisay City, and the Silay City Gym.
Bro. Rolando Dizon, then president of the University of St La Salle, started the Unigames in 1996 in Bacolod City with Banzuela, who also served as sports coordinator.
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the Unigames in the past had been one of the major annual sports activities where talents were discovered.
The governor said he is encouraging the youth to get into sports.
Lacson also called on the public to support the Unigames, pointing out that sports tourism is one of the economic drivers of the province.
“These athletes will also bring their families who will cheer for them, so the numbers will add up”, Bro. Felipe Belleza, Unigames over-all chairman, said.
“We are excited that the Unigames is back in Bacolod in Negros Occidental,” he said, noting that it was last held in the province in 2015.
He said many Unigames athletes went on to become professional players.*