NEW LOOK. Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson (center) leads the inauguration of the newly-renovated Panaad Stadium football field and track oval in Bacolod City on March 31, 2023. The province, which has hosted the Palarong Pambansa five times since the 1970s, is bidding anew to host the country’s largest amateur games in 2024. (Photo courtesy of PIO Negros Occidental)
BACOLOD CITY – Negros Occidental is competing against Antique province and Cebu City in bidding to host the Palarong Pambansa 2024.
As of Wednesday, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson has already sent a letter to Department of Education (DepEd) Assistant Secretary Francis Cesar Bringas, the governance and field operations secretary general of Palarong Pambansa, expressing the intent of the provincial government to bid for next year’s hosting rights.
“We will have to bid again. DepEd opened it for bidding because I understand Cebu likes to bid. We already signified that we would still like to host the 2024 Palarong Pambansa,” Lacson told reporters.
Negros Occidental, together with this capital city, was supposed to host the nation's largest amateur games for the sixth time when it was named host of the 64th edition of the Palarong Pambansa in 2021.
However, the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic happened, suspending the staging of the games for three years.
This 2023, Marikina City, which was chosen as host in 2020, will be the venue of the sports event’s 63rd edition from July 29 to Aug. 5.
In February, Governor Rhodora Cadiao of Antique, the host in 2017, expressed hopes of hosting again in 2024.
Mayor Michael Rama of Cebu City, which last hosted the games in 1994, also announced their intention to bid earlier this year.
Negros Occidental, which belongs to the powerhouse Team Western Visayas, had previously hosted the Palarong Pambansa in 2000, two years after the Panaad Park and Stadium here was opened for the hosting of the same event in 1998.
It is the only province to have hosted the most number of Palarong Pambansa events in history, after serving as the venue in 1971, 1974 and 1979 as well. (PNA)
