Cebu City now ready to welcome Palaro guests

PALARONG Pambansa 2024 preparations are all done and the city is now ready to welcome guests, said Cebu City officials.

In a press conference on Friday, June 28, 2024, Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia and other officials said that everything is set.

“We are all very much prepared…All systems are go, we are very much prepared and we will make sure that all the preparations will lead to the success of Palaro,” said Garcia.

Garcia called everyone for success to happen.

“The essential thing in Cebu that is needed is to work as a team,” said Garcia.

He said that he already sent off the security enforcers for the Palaro earlier on Friday. With him during the sendoff ceremony were the Philippine National Police (PNP), Coast Guard, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Task Force Kasaligan, auxiliary forces, disaster office, and Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) personnel, among others.

Since more than 12,000 athletes are expected to arrive in Cebu, not including sports officials, VIPs, and families, security must also be tightened.

Garcia said that he is sending the enforcers to war against criminality. He said he emphasized to the enforcers to “keep the peace in Cebu.”

Adolf Aguilar, Cebu City assistant School Division superintendent, added that during the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA), there was a zero percent crime rate associated with the event.

Garcia’s claims of readiness were seconded by lawyer Kimberly Esmeña, head of the Local School Board, saying that the preparations are not yet over until it is over.

What she meant was that preparations would be done even during the Palaro.

Tomas Pastor, Region 7 chief Education Support Services, was also present during the press conference and agreed that Cebu City is ready.

“Since everything is ready, all we have to do is pray,” said Pastor.

Pastor expressed that they are already waiting for the time when Palaro starts.

Aguilar added that every event in Palaro is open to all.

However, the number of spectators is subject to the facility’s capacity, said Aguilar. (JPS)