Drawing crowds at the local sports venues anew, the participants to this year’s friendly games march around the city’s central business district.

Mayor Hernani A. Braganza led the parade. With him were Vice Mayor Teofilo G. Humilde and city councilors Jojo Fontelera, Earl James Aquino, Carol Dizon-Sison, and Constante Carasi and city administrator Wilmer Panabang.

The vibrant members of Sangguniang Kabataan Federation and Liga ng mga Barangay-Alaminos City Chapter also joined the festive procession.

Their citymates and friends went to cheer them on as they proceed to the venue of the opening ceremonies.

And so were the victorious Alaminos City Team which competed in the recent 1st Milo Little Olympics National Finals held in Cebu City.

Improved health condition
The city’s civil servants with the respective Muses and Adonis of each team are in high spirit when they entered the plaza for the opening ceremonies.

In welcoming each team to the 4th edition of the LGU-Olympics, Vice Mayor Humilde said the sports fest is being held every year party to achieve sound body and mind among the government workers and public servant.

“We must admit that as we grow old, our body weakens," said Humilde. "This makes us more susceptible to common and even deadly diseases."

“By playing with the different indoor and outdoor games, we could maintain a sound body and mind which redounds to better services rendered to our citymates,” he added.

Humilde, who is now on his third and final term as vice mayor, is the team captain of Legislative Team.

He is likely to seek higher post next year to continue serving his city and districtmates but he promised to continue supporting the LGU-Olympics which initiated together with Mayor Braganza.

“We are all here not just to win games, friends and achieve a well conditioned health this yuletide season but more importantly this Olympics serves as an initial re-union leading to our bigger occasion- our LGU Family Christmas Party,” noted Humilde.

“And like the previous editions, let us make this year’s LGU-Olympics more colorful and memorable one.”

One LGU-Family
According to Braganza, the vice mayor played the biggest role in staging the LGU-Olympics.

“I thank Vice Mayor Humilde for coming up with this noble idea of having an annual sportsfest for our government employees and to the city council for providing the funds to sustain it,” he said.

“The LGU-Olympics will definitely unite us,” the mayor continued citing that there are more than 400 regular, casual employees including job orders and consultant that are taking part in the sporting event.

Braganza expressed optimism that each player is out to prove that they can still play in the competitive games.

He said that this sports fest not only help the participants shed extra pounds and stay physically and mentally fit.

“This annual event also serves as another avenue for our employees to gain more friends and strengthen the bond that binds us together,” he added.

“As we keep on reminding for the past three years, let’s all play fairly, enjoy every game and accept defeats. After all, it’s not how you won but how you played the game and made your team proud.”

“We are one family in the city government," he stressed further. "We come from different offices but at the end of the day, we belong to one big family-the Alaminos City LGU-Family.”

Proud to be Alaminians
The hardworking mayor also took the opportunity to congratulate the city’s athletes for their remarkable feat in the 1st Milo Little Olympics National Finals.

Bagging home a total of 2 golds, 15 silvers and 14 bronze medals, the city’s athletes personally received their cash incentives from city government also during the program.

The incentives were handed by Dr. Oscar C. Tadeo, OIC Alaminos City Division Chief and Dr. Arturo Viray, education supervisor MAPEH and were witnessed by Mayor Braganza and other city officials.

“To our athletes as well as their coaches, in behalf of our city, thank you for making quite a name in the national sports scene,” he said.

(As your mayor), “I’m proud to be an Alaminian and my congratulations to all of you,” he added.

For the past five years, city’s athletes have been competing in the MILO Little Olympics Luzon Area.

And the Alaminos Team has placed 2nd and on the top five over-all in athletics division in 2008 and 2009 editions, respectively.

This year, the city’s pride represented Luzon in the first ever national finals and proved that they are of equal footing with their regional counterparts.

Braganza said its long been city government’s dream to see the young Alaminians compete and shine in the national and international sports arena.

“When we started reviving and implementing our comprehensive sports and youth development, many doubted if could be sustained or could achieve it goals for the city’s athletes,” he stressed.

“Let us not forget that we have contributed national athletes in the past," he said. "We have contributed professional athletes in the PBA and one time national champion in volleyball.”

“These are the new generation of athletes that will make a name for the city not only in basketball but also in other sports like lawn tennis, badminton, taekwondo and athletics in the province and in the whole country,” he quipped.

Depending the championship
Every month of November till December starting in 2005, the city’s workers and public servant get together for the most fun-charged and unforgettable LGU-Olympics.

There are eight teams competing against each other in the friendly yet competitive games and vie for the over-all championship and cash prizes that are at stake.

White Team which comprise of the office of the city mayor, office of the city administrator, city tourism office and various sections, will try to successfully defend their crown for the second straight year.

Out to deny the defending champs from getting its first three-peat are perennial runner-up Green Team (Legislative Department), the Maroon Team (Infrastructure Cluster), Royal Blue Team (Finance Cluster), Pink Team (Basic Services), Yellow Team (Economic Cluster), Gray Team (Liga ng mga Barangay) and the Red Team (SK).

Among the games to be played include basketball, volleyball, table tennis, badminton and billiards. There are also indoor games such chess, game of the generals, word factory and scrabble which were played early last month.

All the outdoor games will be played at the Don Leopoldo Sison Auditorium and PMO on weekdays but only after office hours in order not to paralyze the operations of the city government.

Erasmus Dela Cruz, who is set to retire this month, received a warm applause after lighting the Olympic torch.

Highlighting this year’s sports fest is the first ever cheer dancing competition and the presentation of Muse and Adonis of each team.

Green Team was this year’s run away winner in the cheer dance while Royal Blue Team and White Team wound up second and third, respectively. (CIO)