THE Philippine Rugby Football Union (PRFU) in partnership with the Sports Development Division-City Mayors Office (SDD-CMO) will hold the 80th Araw ng Dabaw's Get Into Rugby Festival which will start on March 18 to 19 at the Ateneo de Davao University (Addu) Matina Campus.
PRFU development officer Blessie Kate delos Santos, in a statement sent to VoxPop Davao, said just like in their past events, this will also serve as a regular exposure to school-based teams as well as to promote Touch Rugby in Davao City.
“We also wanted to support and promote the Araw ng Dabaw Festival branding,” she said.
Delos Santos said the two-day event will feature teams from both private and public schools in Davao City as well as visitors from Cagayan de Oro City and General Santos City.
Lito Ramirez of the Philippine Volcanoes and other PRFU accredited match officials will conduct the event.
Highlighting the single-round robin format event will be the men's rugby 7s and seniors touch divisions while kids in action will be seen in the elementary and secondary division.
The Davao Durians Development Team will try to defend the land against visitors Cagayan de Oro Rugby Football Club and Dadiangas Rugby Football Club in the men's rugby 7s division while Ateneo de Davao University, Generals Touch Rugby, Royal Valley Academy Alumni and University of Mindanao will vie for honors in the Seniors Touch Division.
Teams entered in the elementary boys are V.L. Angliongto Sr. Elementary School (VLASES), Piedad Central Elementary School (PCES), Ateneo de Davao University Grade School, Don Juan dela Cruz, San Roque Central Elementary School (SRCES) Sirawan Beach Elementary School (SBES) and Don Julian Rodriguez Sr. Elementary School (DJRSES).
The elementary girls division will exhibit teams from VLASES, PCES, SRCES, SBES, DJRSES, C. B. Bangoy Sr. Elementary School, Catigan Elementary School and Bankas Elementary School.
Meanwhile, Doña Carmen Denia National High School (DCDNHS), Emilio Ramos National High School (ERNHS), Sirawan National High School (SNHS), Sta. Ana National High School and Telesforo Singson National High School will compete in the secondary boys division.
Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School, F. Bustamante National High School, DCDNHS, ERNHS, and SNHS made it to the distaff side.
Trophies and medals courtesy of SDD-CMO will be given to the top three teams in each division.
The event is also backed by Potbellied Pigs Rugby Football Club Hong Kong, Department of Education Davao City Division, Addu and Davao Durians Rugby Football Club.