BARMMAA Meet 2023: Maguindanao II Leads with 15 Gold, 17 Silver, and 11 Bronze Medals — MBHTE

UPDATE, 8:27 a.m., May 29 

Short link: https://wp.me/paaccn-tcR

By EDD K. USMAN | Twitter: @edd1819 | Instagram: @bluestar0910 | Facebook: SDN — SciTech and Digital News

COTABATO CITY, May 29, 2023 (SDN) — With about 60 percent completed of the 22 sports in competition in the Bangsamoro regional meet, Maguindanao II Schools Division Office (SDO) leads the overall tally with 15 gold, 17 silver, and 11 bronze, for a total of 43.

Coming in second in the overall medal tally is Tawi-Tawi SDO with 13 gold, 9 silver, and 2 bronze medals.

In joint third place are Lamitan City SDO: 10 gold, 4 silver, and 4 bronze medals; and Maguindanao I SDO: 10 gold, 14 silver, and 12 bronze medals.

Dr. Yusoph Thong A. Amino, sports director of the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), made it clear the figures represent only around 60 percent of the 22 sports events, emphasizing that as of 3:41 p.m. Sunday, May 28, they were the completed events.

He was hoping, though, that if the weather cooperates on Monday, May 29, the number of completed games would reach 95 percent in the morning, and 100 percent if the rain did not come.

MBHTE’s 11 SDOs are all represented in the annual regional “Palaro” (Sporting Event), which is being held in Cotabato City for the first time.

Delegation members came in at 8,132, including 4,738 athletes, coaches and other schools officials.

Amino, head of the Bureau of Physical Education and Sports Development (MBHTE-BPESD), cited the young athletes’ enthusiasm for the sports meet, saying the pandemic stopped its holding for a few years.

“Considering that we did not have sports event for over three years, now that our sports program is back our athletes are really very excited for the games,” he pointed out in an interview with SDN — SciTech and Digital News.

He said that it was good that Cotabato City Mayor Bruce G. Matabalao had built sports facilities at the People’s Palace, which are now being used for a number of events that are normally held outdoors, or in open fields. As much as the weather allows.

As the rain in the last two days came crushing down, some games like basketball, soccer, softball, table tennis, futsal, archery, and baseball had to be stopped.

But they were continuing as of Sunday afternoon after the weather mercifully cooperated, even in just intervals of the rains falling.

The head of the Bangsamoro MBHTE, Education Minister Mohagher M. Iqbal, congratulated the athletes from the region’s various SDOs for qualifying to represent their schools and divisions “in this meaningful and thrilling athletic meet”.

“You, our athletes, are the epitomé of the significant values sports embody. You represent the spirit of the Bangsamoro people — resilient, tenacious, and unyielding.

“You remind us that we are not defined by our struggles, but how we face them and rise again. You are the personification of our strength and the ambassadors of our vibrant culture,” Iqbal said.

Continuing the medal tally

Fourth is Cotabato City SDO: 8 gold, 8 silver, and 7 bronze.

Fifth place is jointly held by Basilan SDO: 5 gold, 3 silver, and 12 bronze medals, and Lanao del Sur II SDO: 5 gold, 4 silver, and 5 bronze medals.

Lanao del Sur I SDO has 2 gold, 0 silver, and 2 bronze medals; Sulu with 1 gold, 5 silver, and 4 bronze medals; Marawi City SDO has 0 gold, 1 silver, and 3 bronze medals; SGA with 0 gold, 1 silver, and 6 bronze medals.

Meanwhile, the education minister sent his profuse thanks to the many who helped in making the “Palaro ng BARMM” successful, especially the aspect of security and safety of the athletes and the school officials who came and participated.

He mentioned Cotabato City local government, Philippine National Police (PNP), Marines, and the other members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Office of Chief Minister Al-Hajj Murad Ebrahim, his colleagues in the MBHTE, and the division superintendents of schools.

“All of us our goal is to be successful (in staging BARMMAA Meet 2023),” said Iqbal. (✓)

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Update | May 30, 2023

Insert total number members of the 11 divisions inclusive of athletes and meet officials, coaches. Note: The figures are estimates.