Siargao gears for 2020 Caraga Regional Athletic Meet

BUTUAN CITY -- The provincial government of Surigao del Norte and the local government units (LGUs) in Siargao Island have expressed preparedness to host the upcoming 2020 Caraga Regional Athletic Meet (CRAM 2020).

The sporting event is slated from March 7 to 15 in the town of Dapa in Siargao Island, and will be hosted by the Department of Education (DepEd) Siargao Division.

“This will be the first time that Siargao Island will host the athletic meet of Caraga Region,” Governor Francisco Matugas said on Saturday.

Matugas said series of coordination meetings attended by concerned government agencies, particularly the DepEd, together with the provincial government of Surigao del Norte, the Office of 1st District Rep. Francisco Jose “Bingo” Matugas, and the LGUs were already conducted in line with the ongoing preparations for the sporting event.

He added officials from the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) were also present during the coordination meetings.

Around 8,000 to 9,000 athletes, school officials, and parents are expecting to attend the upcoming regional meet.

“This is the first time that athletes from different provinces in the region will cross the sea to attend the meet. This will also be the first time that more parents and guardians will join athletes to visit and see the various tourist spots in Siargao Island,” Matugas said.

All fast crafts with regular routes to Siargao Island were already coordinated by PPA and Marina to schedule special trips in March before the opening of the sporting event.

“I already made arrangements with the owner of Fast Cat that ferry passengers from Lipata to Liloan in Leyte to help ferry the athletes and officials to Siargao and back to the mainland,” Matugas added.

He said athletes from the province of Dinagat Islands will no longer proceed to Surigao City as arrangements were already made for a special trip from San Jose, Dinagat town direct to Dapa in Siargao Island.

Billeting and other needs of the athletes are also being prepared with assurance from the BFP to mobilize their fire trucks to supply enough water for the participants.

Earlier last week, the Department of Public Works and Highways in the region (DPWH-13) announced the completion of the PHP200-million sports complex in the town of Dapa.

The completed facilities inside the sports complex include the PHP50-million, two-unit dormitory and the PHP150-million sports complex gymnasium.

The DPWH-13 said the dormitories are also designed as the two-story six classroom multipurpose buildings will not only serve as housing facilities for athletes during sporting events but also as learning facilities for high school students in the area.

“By February this year, all school superintendents in Caraga Region, including top officials from the DepEd regional office, will conduct an inspection on the sports complex and other areas where the games will be held and the delegates will be billeted,” Matugas said.

He also invited all residents in Siargao Island to watch the games and other events for free.

“We invited President Rodrigo R. Duterte as the guest of honor during the opening ceremony of 2020 CRAM on March 7,” Matugas added. (PNA)

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