THE peace and order crisis in Mindanao has greatly attributed to the decline of participating schools in this year’s episode of the annual Milo Little Olympics Mindanao Leg.
Mindanao leg organizer Megdonio Llamera confirmed that there was a decrease of participants in a recent interview with VoxPop Cagayan de Oro.
Llamera pointed out that the leg has 208 registered school entries last year with 110 in secondary and 98 in elementary.
This year, it only has 148 schools with 76 in secondary and 72 in elementary, owing to the ongoing siege in Marawi City that prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to declare Martial Law for the entire Mindanao island.
Colonel Lemuel Gonda of the Philippine National Police-Northern Mindanao concurred with Llamera’s observation.
“Of course, it has to be that kay labina nga level three threat ang Iligan, Cagayan de Oro ug Lanao del Norte,” said Gonda.
Gonda recalled that in 2013, there was also a drop of Milo Olympics participants in Cagayan de Oro due to the bombing incident in Limketkai.
“Niminus ang partisipante tungod ato. So, it brings to the peace and order situation bisag safe ta tungod sa Martial Law,” said Gonda.
Llamera also cited the holding of the district meets here and in the different parts of Mindanao among the factors to be considered for the monumental decrease.
