The 608 athletes from Western Visayas (WV), 189 of whom are from Negros Occidental, are all set for the opening of the 65th Palarong Pambansa at the Ferdinand E. Marcos Memorial Stadium in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, on Saturday, May 24.
The Palarong Pambansa will run until June 1.
It will be the last Palarong Pambansa where the Negros Occidental athletes will be participating under the WV banner, Hernani Escullar Jr., Department of Education WV spokesperson, said on Friday, May 23.
The Negros Occidental athletes will be participating under the Negros Island Region banner in the 66th Palarong Pambansa.
The WV delegation in Laoag has 608 athletes, 88 coaches, 24 assistant coaches, 40 chaperones, seven members of the management committee, 43 oversight members, and 195 members of the technical working group, Escullar said.
He said precautions are being taken to protect the WV athletes from extreme heat at the playing venues.
He said the forecasted heat index in Laoag on Friday was 44 degrees Celsius.
The WV delegation has its own doctors and nurses, he said.
The Palarong Pambansa organizers have agreed that outdoor games will not be held under extreme head, Escullar said.
Fortunately, the WV delegation arrived in Laoag early so they were able to adjust to the heat, he said.*