Host Negros Occidental is hoping to cash in on its familiarity with the venues and playing conditions when it defends 23 team titles in the Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association Meet that opens at 2 p.m. today at the Panaad Park and Stadium in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City.

It will mark the second time in four years that Negros Occidental is hosting the regional Palaro, which serves as the qualifying stage for athletes bidding to banner the Western Visayas campaign in the Palarong Pambansa. Bago City hosted the meet in 2003.

Hostilities in all events start on Tuesday with Negros' chief rival, Iloilo, Guimaras, Antique, Aklan and Capiz also vying for top honors.

But as early as last week, Felipe Dumancas --- the Negros Occidental division supervisor for physical education and school sports --- has boldly declared that the Negrenses will come out victorious in both the elementary and secondary divisions just like they did in last year's event in Roxas City.

The Palaro opening comes less than a week after officials of the Department of Education recommended the filing of administrative charges against Corazon Mohametano, the Fifth District schools division supervisor, Nenita Caballero, principal of Pahilanga Elementary School in Hinigaran, and PES teacher Julio Ferreros.

The three were allegedly involved in the fielding of an over-aged player in the 2006 Provincial Meet elementary boys' volleyball competitions.

Negros won the secondary overall crown in runaway fashion last year but an age-cheating controversy took the luster off their victory. Narciso Jayme, a teacher at Antonio Lizares Memorial High School and coach of the Negros secondary baseball team, was found liable for the incident, prompting the DepEd to slap a lifetime coaching ban on him.

The convincing victory in the secondary division was a stark contrast of what happened in the elementary division, where Negros barely defeated Iloilo, following wins in boys and girls volleyball, boys baseball, boys and girls badminton, boys swimming, boys and girls athletics and softball.

Negros will also defend the titles in secondary boys and girls volleyball, boys and girls swimming, boys and girls table tennis, boys archery, boys and girls chess, bys and girls lawn tennis, softball, gymnastics and boxing.

The modified point system, which offers 30 points for team titles in medal-rich events like athletics and swimming and 25 points for ball game crowns, will be used in the five-day event. Athletics and swimming will be held at the Panaad, along with arnis, boxing, softball, taekwondo and secondary lawn tennis. The venue for archery and secondary basketball will be St. Benilde School.

Volleyball events will be staged at the University of St. La Salle just like elementary lawn tennis. The badminton hostilities will be held at the Pohang Badminton Court, while baseball is set at Bacolod City National High School. Gymnastics will be held at the Bacolod Arts Center inside BCNHS.

The Corazon Montelibano Elementary School will be home to the sipa and sepak takraw tournaments, while West Negros College will host chess.

One of the more popular sports of the meet, football will be held at the Paglaum Sports Complex, while elementary basketball is set at the Negros Occidental Multi-Purpose and Activity Center. Secondary table tennis is set at the Lopue's Table Tennis Association facility inside Lopue's San Sebastian, even as the elementary event will be held at the Negros Occidental Teachers Federation center.*

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Four teams fight for 2 semis slots
Reg'l Palaro opens today