After Tropical Storm Kristine caused its delay, the Salingkusog fever is back on a high as the opening ceremony for this year’s intramural games officially set the stage for sportsmanship and camaraderie today, October 28, at the Visayas State University (VSU) Upper Oval.
Carrying the theme, “Cultivating Strength and Igniting Hope”, 11 factions from the different colleges, faculty, staff, and the VSU Integrated High School (VSU-IHS) are set to highlight the essence of Salingkusog during the three-day event.
VSU President Dr. Prose Ivy Yepes explained in her welcome message how the term ‘Salingkusog’ captures the spirit of the games, symbolizing the unity of students and employees in their drive to achieve something greater as one academic community.
“After being postponed due to the Tropical Storm Kristine, we are excited to finally kick off the games that prioritize the safety of everyone involved. With Tropical Storm Leon now within the Philippine Area of Responsibility, we are prepared to adjust our plans as needed,” Pres. Yepes added.
Furthermore, this year’s Guest of Honor, Mr Pio Gerardo R. Solon, Program Director of Epic Performance Fitness Inc., gave a message to Viscans highlighting stories from his journey throughout his career.
“In life, there will be ups and downs. In sports, you win and you learn. Winning and losing seldom matters. What matters most is the type of person we are when we are winning and the type of person we are when we are losing. Because, we are not always going to be up, and we are not always going to be down. Therefore, there is a calling to all of us to be humble in victory and always be gracious in defeat.”
The Intramural Games officially opened after Pres. Yepes’ declaration and the lighting of the friendship urn led by the select officials and athletes of the university.
The opening ceremony of Salingkusog 2024 was initially slated for October 22-25. The games was pushed back due to inclement weather brought by Tropical Storm Kristine, as recommended by the VSU Incident Command System (ICS) and Crisis management Committee (CMS).