LINGAYEN – Athletic delegations from the different regions of the country have start arriving here for this year’s Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) national games which opens tomorrow in this capital town.

Dr. Gonzalo T. Duque, PRISAA national president, said the event secretariat has started distributing the different delegates to their billeting areas located here and in neighboring Binmaley and Dagupan City.

Some 4,000 athletes, coaches and school officials from various parts of the country are expected to take part in the athletic competition, which will run from February 6-11, 2005.

This is biggest sporting event ever to be held in Pangasinan since the province hosted Palarong Pambansa in 1995. This is also the first time Pangasinan will host the PRISAA games since its inaugural games in 1935.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is scheduled to open the games at 2 p.m. tomorrow at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center here.

The opening ceremony was originally set at 10 a.m. but the President reportedly requested that it be held in the afternoon because she will be coming from Dinapigue, a remote town in Isabela province, which she is also visiting tomorrow.

Duque said the athletes will see action in 12 sporting events: athletics, badminton, chess, baseball, basketball, softball, lawn tennis, sepak takraw, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo and volleyball.

The last national athletic meet was held in Zamboanga City.

The theme of this year’s PRISAA Games is “Friendship and Solidarity Towards National Transformation.”