Benguet: The Cordillera Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CDRRMC) has placed Benguet province under a blue alert status from February 22 to 27 to ensure the safety of over 7,000 athletes participating in the regional sports meet.

According to Philippines News Agency, Albert Mogol, CDRRMC chairman and Office of Civil Defense director, stated in Memorandum 15-2026 that a Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment (PDRA) meeting was conducted on February 16 for the 2026 Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association (CARAA) meet. The meeting aimed to evaluate preparations, identify support systems, and ensure preparedness measures and response readiness in case of any untoward eventualities.

A total of 7,182 athletes, officials, and coaches are expected to arrive in Benguet starting February 20 for the grand opening of the 2026 CARAA meet on February 22. The participants will come from various regions: Abra with 867 participants, Apayao with 886, Baguio with 884, Ifugao with 764, Kalinga with 677, Mountain Province with 740, Tabuk City with 612, and 1,038 from the 13 municipalities of host province, Benguet.

To ensure safety and security, about 231 police personnel, along with force multipliers, will be deployed across 137 billeting areas and 52 playing venues in different municipalities. Additionally, Baguio City National High School will host the gymnastics event.

The memorandum also mentioned that the alert status might be escalated to red alert if necessary. CARAA is an annual sporting event organized by the Department of Education (DepEd) to promote grassroots sport development in the country. The regional winners from this event will qualify to represent the Cordillera in the Palarong Pambansa.