LEGAZPI CITY—A total of 161 basketball teams involving 1,930 players and some 320 coaches are now enthusiastically competing in the ongoing first Albay Congressional Cup, sponsored by Albay second district Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, setting a national record by itself in terms of overwhelming participation.
To manage the tournament, Salceda’s Albay Second Congressional District Office here has enlisted the help of some 52 referees, and a 78-member secretariat.
Launched earlier this month, the sporting event has four categories—Inter-Barangay with juniors and seniors’ divisions, Inter-LGU, Inter-Commercial and Open Category. Daily games are played in their respective separate venues to the delight of local basketball fans and visitors alike.
“You spell it as UNITY,” noted Salceda, taking pride of the popular public response to his call in promoting “sports, healthy lifestyle, sportsmanship, bonding of communities and engaging and training community members, specially the youth, in worthwhile activities.”
He said the tournament will “help in benchmarking and promoting discipline, prevention of dysfunctional activities, and for both locals and visitors alike, specially tourists, to enjoy summer.”
The sports competition runs until May 31. It was launched on April 1 with a grand parade from the Daraga Covered Court to the Bicol University Grounds in Legazpi City. Salceda and local government officials led the parade, participated in by teams and visitors.
Salceda said the competition will surely spur a more active sports program in Albay’s second district with the participation of the entire province. Sports promotion is among his priority programs. Cash prizes and trophies await the winners, while medals will be awarded to victorious team members.
The lawmaker has also pioneered sports tourism in Albay during his nine-year term as governor during which the province had earned numerous accolades for successfully hosting, among others the 2016 Palarong Pambansa, Xterra Philippines and Le Tour de France.