Mayor John Dalipe has tasked the Zamboanga Peninsula Regional Athletic Association (ZPRAA) organizing committee to work hard to make sure that the hosting of the 2024 ZPRAA meet will be hassle-free.

This, as Zamboanga City is hosting the regional meet for the first time after a long wait of 18 years since 2006.

In a meeting at the City Hall conference room February 12, Dalipe directed all members of the committee to closely collaborate with each other and ensure that everything will be in place during the weeklong meet slated from April 21-26.

Highlights of the meeting were the light and water connections and the physical setup in the billeting schools, facilities in the playing venues, and security preparations, and the upcoming Division Meet set March 7 to 10 at the Joaquin Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex in Baliwasan.

Philippine Sports Commission representative Prof. Elbert Atilano Sr. said athletes and coaches and their parents are expected to arrive in the city one week prior to the actual competitions to familiarize themselves with the playing venues and billeting schools.

More or less 8,000 public elementary and secondary student-athletes with their coaches and parents and other guests coming from cities of Dipolog, Dapitan, Pagadian, Zamboanga and Isabela and the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay are set to be in Zamboanga City for the meet.

Present during the meeting were representatives from the Division of City Schools led by Dr. Basilio Uy, City Sports Director Dr. Cecil Atilano, concerned city department, utilities and other stakeholders. (Sheila Covarrubias)