Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Richard Bachmann is set to light up the road for upcoming athletes with disabilities to the national team as he and one of the well-known sports loving senators mark the return of the Philippine National Para Games today at the historic Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
Bachmann, who always insists on fair treatment for elite and differently-abled athletes, will grace the opening ceremony along with Honorable Senators Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, together with Philspada-NPC Philippines president Michael Barredo.
Shelved for five years, the PNPG made its return with over 900 participants taking centerstage from November 11 to 14 at different venues inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex and PhilSports.
Barredo announced nine sports will be competed for the Games namely archery, athletics, badminton, boccia (precision ball sport), chess, powerlifting, swimming, table tennis and wheelchair basketball.
“Our objective remains which is to champion Para sports development and inclusion,” said Barredo, who was with PPC secretary-general Goody Custodio and head coach Joel Deriada during their visit at the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
The ceremony is set to start at 4:00 pm where two-time Paralympian Jerrold Pete Mangliwan will make the Oath of Sportsmanship while Luis Mark Abella will usher the Oath of Professionalism.
Bachmann and Barredo will declare the Games open.
Barredo said the Games were last held in 2019 in Malolos, Bulacan before it was shelved due to COVID-19. But with the help of the Philippine Sports Commission to provide competition for the differently abled athletes, the eighth staging was made possible.
Custodio said 72 cities and provinces will be represented in the Games, which kick off with a classification seminar held November 7 followed by the classification proper for Para athletes from November 8 to 10.
“We want to continue to instill the values of sports and discipline, courage and equality among the participants,” added Barredo, a former PSC commissioner.
“This is also the biggest opportunity for us to select players for the national Para team and this is a chance for our Para athletes also to go out of their comfort zones and have fun competing. To some, it will be life changing,” added Deriada.
