The first (1st) Muslim Basketball tournament was officially opened on July 21, 2018 at Purok Ramihan Gym, Barangay Datu Abdul Dadia. The activity was graced by City Mayor Engr. James Gamao, City Administrator Atty. Jamail Lunar G. Macla, Royal Datu of Brgy. Datu Abdul Engr. Macabangon Dadia, Ustadz Rey Maglaos Macla, City Agriculturist Alejandro Mayato, General Services Officer Madera Bautista, Indigenous People Mandatory Representative (IPMR) Ex Officio Councilor Ariel S. Macla, Councilor Wahid Ranain and Barangay Datu Abdul Punong Barangay Allan Pangay.
Players from different Muslim communities converged and took part on the said opening activity. It will run ’til Eid’l Adha celebration as this is the culminating period of the tournament.
Mayor Gamao, in his message, told the audience that sportsmanship should always be the mindset of the players, that in every game there’s always a winner and a losser, that to form camaraderie amomg themselves is one of the purposes of every tournament and that a game is not about the winning but is how you enjoyed it. Mayor Gamao also announced that the City has allocated 500 thousand pesos for the fabrication and installation of canopy for the Purok Ramihan Gym and expressed his consideration to allocate an amout for its bleachers.
Words of encouragement was also expressed by other speakers. It ended with a ceremonial toss of ball facilitated by Mayor Gamao and thereafter Councilor Ranain.
