In Eastern Samar
TACLOBAN CITY – The mayors of Dolores and Can-avid, both in Eastern Samar, have expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to provide playing venues and billeting areas for the 2025 Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association (EVRAA), hosted by the Department of Education (DepEd) Eastern Samar Division.
Can-avid Mayor Vilma Germino highlighted the significance of this collaboration, emphasizing that co-hosting the athletes with Dolores is a testament to the strong partnership between their municipalities.
“We are very happy to assist the host municipality of Dolores to ensure the success of this momentous occasion,” she said during the opening ceremony.
Can-avid has prepared four billeting sites for EVRAA athletes and playing venues for futsal, table tennis, and softball. Meanwhile, Dolores hosts events for billiards, boxing, sepak takraw, and baseball.
Mayor Germino assured that all delegations are safe and well-supported, with medical assistance readily available through the Can-avid Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and the Can-avid Municipal Hospital.
Dolores Mayor Rodrigo Rivera, in his address welcoming the 13 delegations, expressed deep gratitude to groups and individuals who contributed to the success of their hosting.
Despite challenges, including the lack of support from some municipal officials who did not approve their request for funding, they successfully pulled through.
“Not all our requests for EVRAA hosting were approved due to budget and resource constraints, but we made sure that everything was well-prepared to make this EVRAA meet a success,” Mayor Rivera said.
The mayors credited the success of the event to the support of the Dolores Municipal Police, the Philippine Army, barangay officials and community volunteers, parents, LGU staff, and DepEd personnel, who all played crucial roles in preparing the billeting and playing areas.
Mayor Rivera also extended his thanks to Governor Ben Evardone and House Minority Floor Leader 4Ps Partylist Representative Marcelino Libanan for their support in making the event possible.
Eastern Samar hosts the first of the three legs of EVRAA 2025.
The second leg will be held in Maasin City from February 27 to March 2, featuring competitions in arnis, badminton, basketball, chess, football, pencak silat, volleyball, and wushu.
The final leg will take place in Tacloban City from March 6 to 9, covering archery, athletics, dance sports, gymnastics, special games, swimming, taekwondo, tennis, and wrestling.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
