Leyte province to host Batang Pinoy 2012 Visayas Leg

By NEIL D. LOPIDO, PIA-8
October 30, 2012

TACLOBAN CITY  –  The Provincial Government of Leyte will be hosting the 2012 Batang Pinoy Visayas Elimination on November 21-24 at the Leyte Sports Development Center, this city.

Batang Pinoy was conceptualized as a national grassroots sports development program for children 15 years old and below as a selection base for potential high performing athletes as specified in Executive Order No. 44 otherwise known as the Philippine National Youth Games.

In a meeting held recently presided by provincial administrator Vincent Emnas with the organizing committee and partner-agencies, the sports event committees and host’s responsibilities and other concerns that must be addressed were taken up in preparation of the said activities that will be participated in by both in-school and out-of-school children-athletes coming from Regions 6, 7 and 8.

Ms. Annie Ruiz, Batang Pinoy coordinator, said the qualifying sports are arnis, athletics, badminton, boxing, chess, karatedo, lawn tennis, swimming, taekwondo and table tennis.

Ruiz said that the national finals for dancesports, weightlifting and softball (girls) will be held also during the Visayas Leg.

These sports, Ruiz said, are considered qualifying sports which means that from the National Capital Region (NCR) Leg down to Visayas Leg they will be included. Gold and silver medalists in the qualifying legs will earn slot for the National Championship which will be held in Iloilo on December 5-8.

Aimed to identify pool of young talents, Batang Pinoy will break the status of our national team which has been observed to remain the same, Ruiz said.

“This time ang Batang Pinoy tulad ng nangyari noong 2011, nakapag-identify ang PSC at Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) nang 10 Outstanding Athletes and were given opportunity para mag-observe sa Olympic Games in London,” she said.

Ruiz said that those who will be identified as outstanding athletes from 2011-2013 of Batang Pinoy will have the opportunity to be sent for the Youth Olympic Games which has an equivalent as the Olympic Games for Adults.