by Kristel Satumbaga
TAGUM, Davao del Norte – A total of 765 gold medals from 20 sports are at stake when the 2019 Batang Pinoy Mindanao leg fires off Monday here.
A simple opening ceremony will be held today at the Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex with Davao del Norte Gov. Anthony Del Rosario leading the list of officials welcoming thousands of delegates for the weeklong multi-sports event.
Also expected to attend are Department of Interior and Local Government Sec. Eduardo Año, Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Butch Ramirez and PSC Commissioners Charles Maxey, Celia Kiram and Mon Fernandez.
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio was also invited to deliver the keynote speech but has yet to confirm at presstime.
Raising the curtain of festivities on Monday are competitions in archery, arnis, badminton, baseball, basketball boys and girls, boxing, chess, dancesport, karatedo, pencak silat, sepak takraw, softball, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball boys and girls, beach volleyball and futsal.
Centerpiece sport athletics will start on Thursday until Saturday morning while swimming takes the plunge on Wednesday until Friday.
A total of 3,553 athletes registered from 90 local government units in the Mindanao region are participating.
