Sunday, January 20, 2008

WVPRISAA Schedules Tournament In Aklan

“Converging As One Region, Building Up One Nation” will be the theme of the one week 5th Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association (WVPRISAA) meet. The meet will be held in Aklan Province on February 4 – 10, 2008 with Garcia College of Technology (GCT) as Host school and Aklan PRISAA as Host province.
In a luncheon press conference held on January 11 at GCT, it was revealed that some 995 athletes from the provinces of Iloilo, Aklan, Antique, Capiz and Negros Occidental will gather in Aklan to compete for honors in several athletic events. These athletes will come from all private colleges and universities in Western Visayas. Guimaras will have no athletic delegation as it has no tertiary level school in that province.
To be played in Aklan are basketball, volleyball (men and women) sepak takraw, table tennis (men and women), badminton (men and women), lawn tennis (men and women) and chess (men and women).
In view of the available facilities in Iloilo Sports Complex, Iloilo City, athletics, football, and swimming will be played in that venue.
History of WVPRISAA
Supt. Marcelo Casellian was the first WVPRISAA President in 1954. He was at the same time director of the Bureau of Private Schools (Region VI).
Iloilo hosted the first regional meet due to the Normal grounds. Bacolod City came in with the Paglaum. Both cities hosted until Roxas City was available. Kalibo came and much later San Jose, Antique (Binirayan Complex) with Olympian Genaro Cabrera doing the spadework.
The regional body strengthened the provincial organization and the teams that supported them. Iloilo schools starters were University of Iloilo, University of San Agustin, Central Philippine University, Iloilo Maritime Academy and Lincoln College. The San Juan Academy of Sara and St. James Catholic High School in Maasin became NAPRISAA champions in athletics and girl’s volleyball, respectively. Negros Occidental had West Negros College, Negros Institute of Technology, La Consolacion College, Silay Institute. Capiz had Colegio de la Furisima Concepcion with Fr. Sinforiano Fuerte and Filamer Christian Institute. Aklan has Kalibo Institute and Northwestern Visayan Colleges.
The National PRISAA moved from region to region holding successful meets, well supported by the public. There was no problem in financing.
West Visayas PRISAA hosted four (4) NAPRISAA (National Private Schools Athletic Association) meets. Iloilo City hosted the 1962 and 1968 NAPRISAA with USA Rectors Fr. Bienvenido Junquera and Fr. Nicanor Lana as Presidents respectively. Bacolod City hosted the 1972 NAPRISAA meet with Fr. Jose Maria Junago, OAR under UNO-R as host school.
It also hosted PRISAA National Games ’92 held on February 5 – 11, 1992 at the Iloilo Sports Complex, Iloilo City with 15 regions participating 20 sports/events, namely: athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, boxing, cycling, football, golf, judo, karate, lawn tennis, sepak takraw, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, weight lifting, and wrestling.
The quality of competitions led the athletes to move into higher levels and even in the international. Alberto Guillergan and Romeo Vista tracksters to Jakarta. Rodolfo Fernandez in Pesta Sukan, Singapore in 800 and 1500 for silvers. Western Institute of Technology’s boxer Leopoldo Serrantes to Seoul Olympics, USA volleyball stars Rodolfo Gonzales and Mila Bacabac to the Asian Games and Central Philippine University’s soccer stars in Asian countries Edgar Gensaya, Ramsey Padernilla, Westley Hortelano and Orlando Plagata.
In the National PRISAA, the region championed in the following sports areas Men’s basketball 3x, Women’s Volleyball 4x, Men’s Volleyball 4x.
Since 1977-78, the holding of NAPRISAA stopped. With the revival of the Palarong Pambansa from 1988 up to 1995, no athlete from the tertiary level was allowed to compete in the National School Games. In 1996, the government decided to hold a tertiary level meet, and the first National CHED Palaro was held in Gen. Santos City and in Quezon City on May 23-29, 2002. It was participated in by 16 loosely knit collegiate leagues nationwide under Federation of Higher Education Sports Association.
Since the separation of the Commission on Higher Education with the Department of Education in 1994, a conference was held at the Biscocho Haus, Iloilo City on January 15, 2003. It was attended by the presidents and key officials from private higher education institutions in the region. Mrs. Christy B. Laurente. CHED Education Supervisor II initiated the revival of the Western Visayas PRISAA. That day, the election of officers was held. Elected were Engr. Walden S. Rio (CPU) – President; Dr. Expedito Señeres (FCC) – VP-Capiz; Fr. Emilio P. Jaruda, Jr., OAR (UNO-R) – VP–Negros Occidental, Mr. Rodillo Policarpio (APT)-VP-Aklan, Mrs. Cecilia Ortiz (UI)-Secretary, Fr. Manuel M. Vergara, OSA (USA)-Treasurer, Eng. Antonio Salas (WIT) – Auditor, and Mrs. Christy B. Laurente (CHED)-Adviser and Consultant.
The elected officers of WVPRISAA (2003-2005) worked hand in hand, took their time and resources and efforts pulled together, the WVPRISAA held the Regional Sports and Cultural Competition in Roxas City on February 18-21, 2004. Dr. Expedito Señeres and staff of the Filamer Christian College, Roxas City and provincial officials of Capiz, with the support of CHED and WVPRISAA contributed their share to make the WVPRISAA events a success.
WVPRISAA garnered the over-all championship in the National PRISAA meet held in Zamboanga City in April, 2005.
In February 2005, Iloilo PRISAA hosted the regional event. The University of San Agustin under Fr. Manuel M. Vergara, OSA spearheaded the WVPRISAA Games on February 2-5, 2005 with the participation of five provinces namely: Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo and Negros Occidental.
Having hosted the 23rd Southeast Asian Games, Bacolod took pride in hosting the WVPRISAA Meet on December 19-22, 2005. The Negros Occidental Private Schools Sports Cultural Educational Association (NOPSSCEA) led by Fr. Emilio P. Jaruda, Jr. OAR served as the chair of the over-all organizing committee.
CAPRISA hosted the 2007 WVPRISAA meet under its dynamic President, Msgr. Vicente Hilata of Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion last February 8-11, 2007 at the Villareal Stadium, Roxas City.

A Glimpse of APRISAA

Aklan Private Schools Athletic Association (APRISAA) was organized in the 1990’s to create a strong bond of friendship among the private schools in Aklan through sports and cultural competitions.
Initially, APRISAA is composed of six private tertiary colleges, namely: Aklan Catholic College, Aklan Polytechnic College, Garcia College of Technology, Panay Technological College, St. Gabriel College and the Northwestern Visayan Colleges.
Rev. Msgr. Adolfo P. Depra of Aklan Catholic College headed the APRISAA. The presidency was passed on to the different school heads. Mrs. Erlinda Q. Fernandez of Northwestern Visayan Colleges held the longest term as president. It was during her term in the mid-1990’s that APRISAA hosted the regional meet in Aklan.
In the late 1990’s private schools competition in the regional level was abolished. In 2000, APRISAA changed its name to Aklan Private Higher Education Institution Athletic Association (APHEIAA) which added new members. Sto. Niño Seminary and STI College became members while JAVTES joined as honorary member. Provincial sports and cultural activities among member schools continued sans higher level competition.
In 2003, WVPRISAA was revived with Engr. Walden Rio as its President. He came to Aklan to revive the Aklan PRISAA. Mr. Rodillo L. Policarpio of Aklan Polytechnic College was elected President for SY. 2003–2004. After him, the following were elected Presidents: Atty. Allen S. Quimpo of Northwestern Visayan Colleges in SY 2004–2005. Rev. Fr. Francis Bolivar of Aklan Catholic College in SY 2005-2006, Mayor Ramon B. Legaspi, Jr. of St. Gabriel College in SY 2006–2007 and Mr. Edwin R. Garcia of Garcia College of Technology in SY 2007–2008 who will host the 5th WVPRISAA Regional Meet will be hosted by the on February 4–9, 2008. /MP

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