LINGAYEN—Palarong Pambansa 2012 promises to be the best in the sporting event’s history with three special characteristics – green, hi-tech, benchmark, continuity, and showcase of quality government service.

This was contained in the press statement of Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. delivered during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum held March 27 in Manila.

In the forum, Espino enumerated the various preparations being done by the province for the country’s biggest sporting event involving some 10,000 athletes from 17 regions nationwide.

The governor also reiterated that the province is doubly proud to host the games for the second time after 17 years.

Espino said that by April 20, everything will be ready, from the sports facilities to the manpower support required by the week-long sports event.

“We are now 80 percent complete in our preparations,” the provincial chief executive noted.

Preparations, according to Espino, include the construction of an additional wing on the grandstand of the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center (NRSCC) for an additional 5,000 seats in the 13,000-seater grandstand built in 1995 when Pangasinan first hosted the event.

“Within the grandstand,” Espino said, “is where all technical officials of the games will be housed under one roof, a first in the history of the Palaro.”

All billeting areas of the 17 different regional athletic contingents are also being spruced up to provide adequate shower rooms, comfort rooms, shallow/deep well water system, jetmatic hand pumps, kitchen facilities and garbage disposal bins to assure that proper hygiene in all quarters will be observed.

Since most of the athletic competitions will be held at the NRSCC, renovation works on two facilities within the area is presently going on to accommodate indoor sports.

Another feature of this year’s Palaro is its high-tech system through which all 17 simultaneous games can be viewed live on 17 TV screens to be set up at the Social Media Command Center, adjacent to the Media Center.

Games can also be viewed via live streaming through the internet.

Manpower support, on the other hand, will include emergency response teams manned by the Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine Coast Guard, Red Cross and all provincial hospitals, supported by some 32 ambulance units to be deployed in strategic areas.

Security forces with the combined efforts of the PNP, DeltaCom, Bikers Association and the Pangasinan Tourism Association will be tasked to secure the main roads leading to the game sites.

A Palaro secretariat will be established for close coordination with private hospitals for fast lane service for athlete-patients, in cases of emergency. The same coordination has been made with local government officials on the use of their hospital facilities.

Meanwhile, Espino said that a continuous and institutionalized sports development program for budding athletes is underway through the launching of a Sports Academy after the Palaro to provide the youth with proper sports training and hone their skills to become future champions not only in the local level but international, as well.

Palaro 2012 is among the triple summer treats offered by the provincial government as its tourism come-ons along with the Pangasinan Day celebration and the time-honored Pista’y Dayat festival. (PIO/Ruby R.Bernardino)

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