Umali will lead the 159 athletes of the Philippines to the yearly event slated from July 13-21.

"The essence of this [event] is the value of sportsmanship, building camaraderie," Umali said during the weekly PSA Forum at Golden Phoenix Hotel Tuesday.

According to Umali, this is the first time that the Philippine Sports Commission helped in the participation of athletes.

The theme for the ninth year of the ASEAN Youth Games is "Together as One." Among the ten-member state of the ASEAN, only Myanmar will not send a delegation.

 

Only athletes under 18 years old and in basic education will be allowed to compete in the event.

 

Palarong Pambansa multi-medalists Maurice Sacho Illustre will lead the delegation together with other UAAP, NCAA and Palarong Pambansa champions. 

As of last night, at least two persons had been confirmed killed in the quake, one of them in the building that collapsed in Kananga town.

“We were able to retrieve one dead and one wounded,” Mayor Rowena Codilla told dzBB radio.

Codilla said she did not know how many more people were inside the building.

The 10-year-old New Town General Merchandise building near the Kananga Municipal Hall housed a small hotel on the upper floors and shops on the ground floor, she said, adding there was little damage elsewhere in the town.

She said the rescue was hampered by aftershocks that continued to rock the area and the lack of proper equipment.