The highly anticipated Philippine Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Games Visayas Qualifying Leg officially opened its doors at the Panaad Park and Stadium in a vibrant ceremony on Sunday, May 26.
The grand opening of the Visayas qualifying leg set an electrifying stage for a competitive showdown among 1,938 athletes from various regions across the Visayas. These young men and women, representing their respective ROTC units, are set to compete in 14 different sports disciplines.
A spectacular confetti drop from a Blackhawk helicopter of the Philippine Air Force added to the grandeur of the ceremony, officially marking the start of the games and with the torch relay and lighting of the cauldron led by Senator Francis Tolentino.
Welcoming the athletes were Bacolod City Mayor Albee Benitez and Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson.
The ceremony was also attended by other notable figures, including Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, Undersecretary Pablo Lorenzo of the Department of National Defense, Dr. Norberto Mangulabnan, President of Carlos Hilado Memorial State College, Atty. Cinderella Filipina Benitez-Jaro of the Commission on Higher Education, and Ms. Olivia “Bong” Coo of the Philippine Sports Commission.
High-ranking officials from the Philippine Air Force, Philippine Army, and Philippine Navy, along with representatives from the provincial government of Negros Occidental, the city government of Bacolod, and Carlos Hilado Memorial State University, were also in attendance.
The ROTC Games serve as a significant platform for promoting physical fitness, camaraderie, and national pride among the youth.
