The Regional SCUAA Olympics 2013 was officially opened last Saturday, February 15, 2014. In contrast to its original plan, the Olympics is still hosted by the Northern Iloilo Polytechnic State College but is being held in Iloilo Sports Complex. The damage brought by Typhoon Yolanda made it impossible for the host College to accommodate the delegates as well as to provide the venue for the sports events. However, with the help of Gov. Arthur Defensor of the Province of Iloilo and the determination of the participating State Colleges and Universities, this Regional SCUAA Olympics was realized.
According to Dr. Joel P. Limson, President of the Association of State Universities and Colleges, he is very thankful that despite the storm surge that brought damages to the northern part of Iloilo, Gov. Defensor was very supportive. He emphasized that this is the first in the history of PASUC to have 2 regional games in one year and this February Olympics is only a prelude of the December 2014 SCUAA Olympics.
For him, conducting of sports competition does not only showcase the skills but above all will reflect the kind of behaviour and attitude of the coaches, officials and the entire state universities and colleges in Region 6.
The opening ceremony started with a parade from the West Visayas State University to the Iloilo Sports Complex. It was participated in by the athletes, coaches, officiating officials, muses and the presidents of the different state colleges and universities.
The Pep Squad of the West Visayas State University performed a spine-tingling cheer dance to spice up the audience and a MOB Dance participated by the delegates.
Governor Arthur Defensor was the invited guest speaker for the ceremony. In his speech he pointed out that in sports, there is no place for rhetorics… only performance. However, he said, that it is not only about winning medals but it is also about honesty, accuracy, promptness and other virtues. He also confessed that at first he didn’t encourage the PASUC to continue with the regional olympics because of the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda. On the other hand, he changed his mind and instead endorsed and supported it because sports is indispensable especially in acquiring national discipline. So, for him, whatever the calamity is, the sports event must go on. In closing, he vowed to continue supporting sports events for personal good and the good of the nation.
The SCUAA Regional Olympics will finish on 19, 2014 with its events onducted in different venues such as the Iloilo Sports Complex, La Paz Plaza, Punta Villa, WVCST and the venue for the Search of Mr. & Miss SCUAA is the WVSU Cultural Center.
