Dagupan City breathes behind P’gasinan - II in R1AA’s top post

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

BINALONAN – Dagupan City breathed behind the neck of Pangasinan II in the number of awards in the concluded Region 1 Athletic Association (R1AA) 2017 held last March 3 to 8  in Bantay, Ilocos Sur.

1^ST RUNNER – UP.Coaches and some members of the 417 athletes sent by Dagupan City Mayor Belen T. Fernandez who locked horns with 13 teams in eight cities, four provinces, and division in the concluded Region 1 Atheletic Association held in Bantay, Ilocos Sur last March 3 to 8, 2017 posed with their awards. Dagupan City was first runner up in the sports festival that wowed sports experts on her exemplary performances in the last two years. 

According to the official result furnished to Northern Watch by the office of Assistant Superintendent Shiela Marie Primicias of the Department of Education in Pangasinan II (comprised by most towns of Eastern Pangasinan) based here, Dagupan City brought home 51 - gold, 40- silver and 41 - bronzes while Pangasinan II still maintain for the third year of the R1AA the over-all championship with 58 gold, 52 silver and 47 bronze.

The divisions and cities that garnered the award were Pangasinan 1 (most towns of Western and some parts of Central Pangasinan) at Number 3 spot with 39 -gold, 39- silver, and 49 – bronze; Urdaneta City at Number 4 with 38 -gold, 31- silver, and 43 – bronze; La Union at Number 5 with 28 -gold, 43- silver, and 37 – bronze; Laoag City at Number 6 with 28 -gold, 30- silver, and 39 – bronze; Ilocos Norte at Number 7 with 27 -gold, 35- silver, and 58 – bronze; Batac City at Number 8 with 25 -gold, 21- silver, and 5 – bronze; San Carlos City at Number 9 with 18 -gold, 23- silver, and 26 – bronze; Ilocos Sur at Number 10 with 17-gold, 22- silver, and 31 – bronze; San Fernando City at Number 11 with 16 -gold, 10- silver, and 18 – bronze; Alaminos City at Number 12 with 9 -gold, 5- silver, and 20 – bronze; Candon City at Number 13 with 4 -gold, 5- silver, and 8 – bronze; and Vigan City at Number 14 with 2 -gold, 3- silver, and 14 - bronze

"Today we recognize and celebrate the success and the spirit of achievement of young Dagupenos who competed at the Region 1 Athletic Association meet in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. Our athletes have proven once more that everyday is a chance to get better. For the second straight year, our athletes copped 51 golds, 40 silver and 41 bronze medals --- our city’s biggest medal haul ever --- driving us to keep the No. 2 spot in the over-all medal standing.Without doubt, our children have done us extremely proud with these great achievements,” Dagupan City Mayor Belen T. Fernandez declared after she learned about the exemplary performance of her athletes who in 2015 R1AA were at Number 7 spot.

An official, who asked anonymity, of the DepEd here lauded the millions of pesos poured by the Dagupan City Mayor for molding her athletes to excel and the incentive of three thousand pesos for every gold medal acquired by each of those in the elementary and the secondary level players in  the 2016 regional sports festival in San Carlos City, Pangasinan.

“We have that kind of incentive given by the governor but not as generous as those given by the mayor of Dagupan City,” he said.

  In the sent off of the 417 athletes, Mayor Fernandez told them about their extensive training along with the guidance of national coaches in the different fields of sports in order to upgrade their skills.