All roads lead to General Santos City in Mindanao as the Philippine Sports Commission rolls the red carpet for the biggest Batang Pinoy edition in history with hopes of producing the next Manny Pacquiao, Caloy Yulo and Hidilyn Diaz today at the Antonio C. Acharon Sports Complex here.
No less than Pacquiao, a bonafide son of GenSan before his unparalleled rise to the world boxing annals as the only eight-division champion, and Diaz, the country’s first Olympic gold medalist, will grace the opening ceremony featuring almost 25,000 delegates.
Pacquiao and Diaz will spearhead the torch relay and the cauldron lighting to start the games after the keynote addresses of GenSan Mayor Lorelie Pacquiao, Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla and Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Pato Gregorio.
‘This is the biggest edition and we have to make sure it’s the best, too,’ said Gregorio.
‘Batang Pinoy is really an important and integral part of our sports development program in the PSC. From grassroots to gold and from gold to greatness – that’s our national sports program.’
Also in the fray is PSC Commissioner, Batang Pinoy project director and bowling legend Olivia ‘Bong’ Coo, who promises an edition for the ages as the national youth games troop to Mindanao from Palawan last year.
‘We welcome you to what’s shaping up as the biggest and most exciting edition of the Philippine Youth Games. We are more than ready. The PSC will take charge as we continue to shape the future of Philippine sports,’ said Coo.
GenSan will welcome standouts from a record-breaking 101 Local Government Units (LGUs) across the archipelago as the PSC beefs up its grassroots development program to pave the way for the country’s next champions and gold medalists abroad.