Batang Pinoy athletes sadly turn ‘Batang Puyat’

MANILA City ― The 2023 Batang Pinoy National Championships recently opened at the different playing venues here with some of the athletes blaming the early debacles they suffered for an apparent lack of sleep.

At the General Pio National High School alone which housed more than 300 athletes in Makati’s Barangay Poblacion along Osias Street, delegates from Mindanao were seen sleeping along the hallway and in assigned rooms without foams and mattresses.

“Those who could afford were taken by their parents as they decided to sleep instead in a hotel. I wonder if the ones who are staying here can still perform in the preliminary games,” said security guard Romulo Gigante in a casual talk with this writer.

Unable to sleep well on top of the tables and benches, the boxing team of Bukidnon spearheaded by knockout artist and reigning Palarong Pambansa best boxer Christian Pador woke up early to look for used cartons (cardboard boxes) so they could relax.

“This is just our first time here in Batang Pinoy and though we’re all tired, we’re still excited to fight and bring honors to the province of Bukidnon,” said boxing coach Jojo Singsing.

The 16-year-old Pador from Casisang National High School in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon is best remembered for knocking out all his Palaro foes last year with his finals opponent even wheeled in a stretcher after being sent to dreamland.

“These sleeping obstacles could not stop us from proving our worth here,” Pador said in vernacular.

Athletes and coaches from the provinces were also disappointed with their sleeping quarters considered too far away from the venues.

Table tennis coach Tony Neri from Misamis Oriental said he already spent roughly over P2,000 for taxi fares along with his four players with competition in their sports discipline yet to start in the Bay Area.

Misamis Oriental staff Jancin Roturas meanwhile said he paid over P1,000 for transportation to follow up on their IDs at the supposed office of the organizing Philippine Sports Commission that only materialized on the second day of the Batang Pinoy competition.

“And this because the National Chess Federation of the Philippines tasked to run the Batang Pinoy chess has posted an unclear address on its Facebook Page where to get our IDs that eventually led us to Pasig Ultra in vain,” Roturas said.

“It also took us for hours to reach our billeting quarters because the location posted by the PSC is quite misguiding. They should detail that the General Pio National High School has its new building in Barangay Poblacion and not the old one besides the Makati City Hall,” he added.

A seemingly newly-purchased foam covered with plastic only came the following day in the afternoon when less-sturdy Batang Pinoy participants were already sporting an eye bag during most of the preliminary games.