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MANILA, Philippines – The 65th edition of the Palarong Pambansa, the country’s premier sports event at the elementary and high school level, comes off the wraps in Ilocos Norte on May 24 with the theme, “Nagkakaisang Kapuluan” (United Archipelago).
Around 15,000 delegates, including student-athletes, coaches, and officials, from 20 athletic associations, composed of the 18 regions, the National Academy of Sports, and the Philippine Schools Overseas, will participate across 34 sports.
The games will run from May 25 to 30 and will close on May 31.
Here are some fast facts about this year’s Palaro:
Long wait
For the first time in nearly six decades, the Palaro returns to Ilocos Norte.
The last time the province — where President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family have ruled for decades — hosted the Palaro was in 1968, which interestingly happened during the presidency of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Eleven cities and municipalities will serve as sports venues: Laoag City, Batac City, Bacarra, Burgos, Dingras, San Nicolas, Pasuquin, Piddig, Paoay, San Nicolas, and Sarrat.
It marks the eighth Palaro hosting for the Ilocos Region, which is the most by any region in Luzon.
The other times Region I hosted the Palaro came in 1959, 1995, and 2012 in Lingayen, Pangasinan, and in 1953, 1973, and 2018 in Vigan, Ilocos Sur.
Sports heroes
Ilocos Norte is home to notable Filipino sports heroes.
Perhaps the most celebrated is swimming legend Teofilo Yldefonso, who delivered the Philippines its first-ever Olympic medal when he won the men’s 200m breaststroke bronze in the 1928 Amsterdam Games in the Netherlands.
Born in Piddig, Yldefonso also became the first Filipino to win multiple Olympic medals after he repeated as the 200m breaststroke bronze medalist in the 1932 Los Angeles Games in the United States.
For nearly 90 years, Yldefonso held the distinction as the Philippines’ lone Olympic multi-time medalist before weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, gymnast Carlos Yulo, and boxer Nesthy Petecio joined his company.
To pay tribute to Yldefonso, this year’s Palaro logo features his silhouette inspired by his trademark hands-on-hips pose.
Another Ilocos Norte product is shooter Eric Ang, who hails from Laoag City.
Ang represented the Philippines in the 2008 Beijing Games in China, seeing action in the men’s trap category where he finished 35th.
Ilocos Norte has also produced a couple of PBA players in Leo Najorda (Bangui) and Ed Daquioag (Dingras), while Meralco star Chris Newsome traces his Filipino roots to Piddig.
Like Newsome, former Major League Baseball players John White Sipin and Benny Agbayani have Ilocos Norte heritage.
Para sprinter Roger Tapia brought Ilocos Norte honor as well as he donned the national colors in the 2012 London Paralympics and won medals in the Asian Para Games and ASEAN Para Games.
Region to beat
The National Capital Region remains the region to beat after it captured its 17th straight Palaro overall title in Cebu City last year.
Bagging 98 golds on top of 66 silvers and 74 bronzes, NCR bested Calabarzon (Region IV-A) and Western Visayas (Region VI) for the overall crown.
Calabarzon regained the second spot with 57 golds to go with 51 silvers and 53 bronzes after settling for third in the 2023 edition hosted by Marikina City.
From second in 2023, Western Visayas fell to third with 56 golds, 41 silvers, and 41 bronzes.
NCR, Calabarzon, and Western Visayas have made up the top three of the Palaro in each of the last eight editions since 2014, with Davao Region (Region XI) and Central Visayas (Region VII), which finished fourth and fifth, respectively, last year, looking to change the status quo.
Host Ilocos Region has a lot of catching up to do after placing 15th last year with a 5-gold, 14-silver, 10-bronze haul.
Program changes
There are multiple changes in the Palaro sports roster.
At the top of the list is the addition of weightlifting as a demonstration sport.
The inclusion of weightlifting to the Palaro program had long been campaigned for as it is the sport where the Philippines won its first-ever Olympic gold medal courtesy of Hidilyn Diaz.
Diaz, who is working closely with the Department of Education, said in February that the next goal is to elevate weightlifting to regular status.
Pole vault (secondary girls) and pencak silat will be featured as regular sports, while kickboxing, football, and futsal (elementary girls) will be played as exhibition sports.
The Palaro will also include Palaro ng Lahi or Larong Pinoy. – Rappler.com
