Geared with the theme “???????????????????? ????????????????????, ???????????????????? ????????????????, ???????? ????????????????????????????????????,” student athletes from 31 selected Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) from the different cities and municipalities within the Regions I, II, III, and IV and National Capital Region (NCR) assembled at Marikina Polytechnic College as they march towards the Opening Ceremony of the first-ever Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Friendship Games held at Marikina Sports Complex, June 10.

With their facemasks on, over 1, 000 determined student athletes with their sports coach joined the jovial athlete parade, showcasing team support and camaraderie amidst the pandemic as they raise the banner that represents their city and municipality.

Delegates of the athletic event were from Caloocan, Las Piñas, Makati, Manila, Parañaque, Pateros, Taguig, Lingayen, Malasiqui, Tarlac, Bocaue, Malolos, Batanggas, Lipa, and host Local Government Units (LGUs), Pasay, Quezon, and Marikina City who gave a spectacular opening ceremony.

In her welcoming speech, CHED Executive Director IV, Atty. Cinderella Filipina S. Benitez-Jaro said that the event aims to involve all the student athletes in revitalizing sports in the academe which was ceased by the pandemic.

“???????????? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????? ????????????????????????, ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ????????????????-???????????????????????? ????????????, ???????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????? ????????????????????????????????, ???????? ???????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???? ???????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????????, ???????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????-???????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????,” Atty. Jaro said.

Meanwhile, Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, Chairman of Committee on Sports and Health said that the current administration supports sporting events like this as they believe that engaging the youth to sports can keep them away from harmful vices such as dangerous drugs.

“???????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????… ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????, ???????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????????????, ???????????????????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. ???????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????,” Senator Go said.

On the other hand, CHED Chairperson Prof. J. Prospero E. De Vera, III emphasized that the CHED Friendship Games is also a way of celebrating the series of Higher Education’s and the country’s historical events that happened this year.

“???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????????????, ????????’???????? ???????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???? ???????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????. ???????????????? ????????????????, ???????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????????, ???? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????… ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????????????????????????????-???????????????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????, ???????????? ????????????????, ???????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????, ???????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????,” Prof. De Vera said.

Student Athletes then took their Oath of Sportsmanship led by Fran Yu of Colegio de San Juan de Letran followed by the lighting of the CHED Friendship Games torch spearheaded by the UAAP-Basketball Top Rookie Carl Vincent Tamayo, declaring the Tertiary Games officially open.

The CHED Friendship Games 2022 serves as a preview for the much-anticipated National Tertiary Games, attended by HEIs from NCR and other nearby provinces, with the goal of reviving and revitalizing academic sports in the country under the new normal.

With over eight sports events, the first-ever CHED Friendship Games is expected to run until July 2.