by: Amaryllis Rodriguez

          The Department of Education – Region 7 once again presents the opportunity to a balanced education, spelling out versatility in its most sensible purport. Education by the head and the heart accords with the education by the use of the body. These are from the words of the vigorous OIC-Regional Director of DepEd-RO7, Juliet A. Jeruta, Ph.D, as she formally and officially declares the CVIRAA Meet 2016 open on February 7, 2016 at the Naga City Sports Complex.

This year’s CVIRAA with the theme – Go with a Unified Spirit toward Excellence in Sports, is hosted by the Local Government Unit of the City of Naga, Cebu and co-hosted by the Department of Education – Division of Naga City, Cebu. This is in cooperation with the municipalities of Minglanilla and San Fernando, Cebu Province and the Department of Education –Division of Cebu, Districts of Minglanilla 1 and San Fernando. This will run in a week from February 7-13, 2016.

It is with great enlightenment that a week, amass with sports and competition, started with a Holy Mass at the Bay walk Plaza in Naga City, Cebu at 2:00 in the afternoon on February 7, 2016. The celebration continued as all CVIRAA DepEd Regional Officials, Technical Officials, Athletic Officials and all delegates of the said meet paraded, wearing their prides with them from the Bay walk Plaza to the Naga City Sports Complex. Upon their arrival at the complex, each group got his moment to march together and be identified of his roles in the meet. The participating delegates from the different DepEd Divisions of the Central Visayas, accompanied by their division hymns, indeed came with unified spirits as they gave their salutations to the audiences and finally positioned in their places to present the yells. Some of the highlights of the program were the turning over of the banner from the Division of Cebu, District of Balamban with the participations of Rhea Mar Angtud (SDS, Division of Cebu) and Hon. Agnes Magpale (Vice- Governor of the Province of Cebu) to the Division of Naga City, Cebu with the participations of Hon. Valdemar Chiong (Mayor of Naga City, Cebu) and Mr. Senen Paulin (OIC, SDS, Division of Naga City, Cebu); hoisting of the banner with the utmost participations of Juliet A. Jeruta, Ph. D (OIC-Regional Director, DepEd-RO7), Atty. Fiel Almendra (OIC-Assistant Regional Director, DepEd-RO7) and Luz C. Jandayan, Ph.D. (Chief, ESSD, DepEd-RO7); and, the raising of the banner led by the delegation Heads. The oaths of Amateurism and of the Officiating Officials were expressed by Vince Anton Louise Alforque (National Champion of the Milo Olympics 2014, Lawn Tennis) and Mr. Victor Yntig, (Chief, ADMIN, DepEd-RO7), respectively. As the event progresses, its spontaneity and organization became all the more visible. Its motif, exuding Greek Mythology, impacted the lighting of the torch when a Greek dance presentation backgrounding the execution of the lighting of the CVIRAA Friendship Cauldron happened. It then acceleratingly marked the official start of the CVIRAA Meet 2016. The OIC-Regional Director, DepEd-RO7, Juliet A. Jeruta, Ph.D., in her speech, gave credits to all the efforts invested by the Local Government Unit of Naga City and the DepEd- Division of Naga City, Cebu for its organization outstood.

The words of the Directress of DepEd-RO7 has then outlived that night of the opening when she expressed that when the accordance of the education of the head, the heart and the use of the body transpires, not only that the child is given the opportunity to a balanced education, he also gains the title of a ‘well-balanced individual’. When asked on how she feels that the other six divisions finally join the Negros Island Region, Director Jeruta similarly described it as how a mother is separated to her children; however, she pointed out that with her remaining children (13 divisions), the opportunity for a more sustainable growth and development will never go out of the direction toward excellence in education and in sports. Excellence in sports is not always reflected in the gold, silver, or bronze medals one can acquire. Sometimes, it is in the assumption of responsibility that makes him excel on for a unified spirit of sportsmanship.

          Please check out DepEd Region VII‘s Facebook page for the photos.