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PATIN-AY, AGUSAN DEL SUR, September 19, 2025—𝗜𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗮 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗔𝗴𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗿, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗘𝗱) 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗜𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗖. 𝗔𝘀𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹, 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟱 𝘁𝗼 𝟭𝟴, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻-𝗮𝘆, 𝗔𝗴𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗿.

The four-day conference, organized in coordination with the Office of the Undersecretary for Operations Malcolm S. Garma, was attended by members of the National Screening and Accreditation Committee (NSAC), Regional Screening and Accreditation Committee (RSAC), Division Screening and Accreditation Committee (DSAC), Regional Sports Officers and IT personnel, the National Academy of Sports (NAS), the Palarong Pambansa Secretariat, and other concerned offices. It aimed to ensure that all participants are fully informed and capacitated on the updated rules and guidelines for screening and accrediting athletes and coaches for Palarong Pambansa 2026.

Key conference sessions focused on the revised screening procedures, the digitization of documents through the PassSport platform, and the finalization of the master list of participants. The activity also reaffirmed DepEd's commitment to protecting the rights of student-athletes in line with DepEd Order No. 40, s. 2012 (Child Protection Policy) and RA 10676 (Student-Athletes Protection Act).

In his keynote message, Undersecretary for Operations Malcolm S. Garma expressed full confidence in the region's readiness to host a landmark event, stating, "We will declare that the Palarong Pambansa 2026 in Agusan del Sur will be the best Palaro ever." He emphasized that while logistical preparations and host region support are vital, the true spirit of the games lies in its athletes, saying, "The heart of the Palaro may not be the host region or the billeting quarters, but the heart of the Palarong Pambansa are the athletes." He further encouraged all participants to contribute meaningfully to the event's success by learning and collaborating, affirming, "Let's learn and let's contribute." These remarks encapsulated the conference's goal of aligning stakeholders with a shared vision of excellence, inclusivity, and athlete-centered planning for the upcoming national sporting event.

The conference marked a pivotal step in aligning national and regional efforts to deliver a well-coordinated and athlete-centered Palarong Pambansa in 2026.

For more information, contact (085) 221-1151, 0961-737-0873, or 0915-808-4734. Website: www.caraga.deped.gov.ph; email: caraga@deped.gov.ph; pau_caraga@deped.gov.ph.

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