CEBU CITY — The battle for pride and supremacy gets underway as hostilities in the 64th Palarong Pambansa goes full blast on Thursday at the Cebu City Sports Complex here.

Around 19,000 delegates from all 17 regions, including those from the National Academy of Sports and Philippine Schools Overseas, are in full force as they vie for gold medals in 28 sports in the elementary and 40 sports in the secondary divisions.

Team sports like baseball, volleyball, football, basketball, sepak takraw and softball had already started while the centerpiece athletics and swimming will come off the wraps on Thursday.

Kicking off the hostilities will be athletes that will compete in the secondary girls’ 3,000-meter run as well as those from the elementary boys’ long jump and elementary girls’ discus throw event.

Action starts as early as 6 a.m.

This is going to be Cebu City’s third hosting of this prestigious multi-sport conclave for student-athletes in elementary and high school. The first was in 1954 and the second was in 1994, marking this year’s event truly special as it gives the Cebuano a chance to showcase their local culture, hospitality and athletic talent.

In the opening ceremonies late Wednesday, in fact, the Cebuanos gave student-athletes, coaches, officials and guests a warm welcome as they kicked off with a “Sinulog-themed” performance delivered by thousands of local dancers.

No less than President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos declared the games open witnessed by Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richard “Dickie” Bachmann, Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo Jr., Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, and Acting Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia.

Interestingly, Vice President Sara Duterte, the former Education Secretary, was not around as well as suspended Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama, who had initially confirmed their attendance.

Former Philippine Basketball Association star Dondon Hontiveros, now the city’s acting Vice Mayor, and Central Visayas athletes Kenneth Cole and Mary Antoinette Cortez led the torch relay while Southeast Asian Games gold medalists in dancers Wilbert Aunzo and Perl Marie Cañeda performed the lighting of urn.

Former Palarong Pambansa gold medalist Mitchloni Dinauanao led the “Oath of Sportsmanship” while Ma. Jeanette Obiena, head of the technical officiating officials and the mother of prized pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena, led the “Oath of Officials.”

Cebu City Schools Division assistant superintendent of the Department of Education Dr. Adolf Aguilar said they made a lot of upgrades in the staging of the Palaro in a bid to increase the level of play, quality of officiating and release of results.

“This will be the first time the Palaro is covering all the sports venues so this is in support of all school divisions in Region VII and our IT officers are helping us cover the games. Our volunteer teachers will livestream the games in the venues,” Aguilar said a day before the formal start of hostilities.

“This is a work in progress but this is a start of elevating the brand of the Palarong Pambansa into a wider audience.”