Palarong Pambansa 2025 opening ceremony: Here’s what to expect 

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Check out the personalities and performances you can expect to see in the opening ceremony of the 2025 Palarong Pambansa in Ilocos Norte

ILOCOS NORTE, Philippines – The long wait is almost over!

The Palarong Pambansa returns to Ilocos Norte for the first time since 1968, with its grand opening set at the Ferdinand E. Marcos Memorial Stadium (FEMMS) here in Laoag City on Saturday, May 24.

With the theme “Nagkakaisang Kapuluan” (United Archipelago), the ceremony will highlight the Filipino strength through a showcase of national and Ilokano talents.

This year’s 65th edition expects a total turnout of 15,675 delegates — including 14,545 student-athletes from the 18 regions, 130 from the National Academy of Sports, and 10 from Philippine schools abroad — who will battle it out across 34 sports.

Local and national government officials are also expected to attend the opening ceremony at 6:30 pm. 

Here’s who and what to expect in the kickoff, which DepEd officials say will be the “best ever.” 

Parada ng mga atleta

At 5 pm, there will be an opening parade, where the student-athlete delegates will march from the Provincial Capitol, to Sirib Mile, and finally, to FEMMS. 

They will be accompanied by student cheer squads and drum and lyre corps throughout their entire route in Laoag City. 

Who will lead the oaths, deliver speeches, and spark the symbolic light beam? 

Once all the athletes make their way to FEMMS, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. — whose hometown is Batac, Ilocos Norte — will deliver a keynote speech, and then officially declare the start of the games. 

Hidilyn Diaz, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics weightlifting gold medalist, will then make her debut as technical director of the Palaro’s weightlifting program, which was included as a demo sport for this year’s edition. Diaz will lead coaches and technical officials as they take their oath. 

The athletes, meanwhile, will take their oath, led by Currimao, Ilocos Norte’s Gerick Jhon Flores, a young baseball prodigy who represented the Philippines in the 11th BFA U12 Asian Baseball Championship in Matsuyama, Japan, where he recorded the most stolen bases throughout the tilt.

Iconic athletes who made waves in national and overseas competitions like past Palaro iterations, the SEA Games, and the Paralympics will lead the symbolic lighting of the Palaro light beam. Here are the athletes that attendees can expect to catch: 

• Roger Tapia (athletics, paralympics)
• Eric Ang (men’s trap, 2008 Beijing Olympics)
• Jesson Cid (decathlon, 2015 SEA Games)
• Ed Daquioag (basketball player Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League)
• Anthony Domingo (athletics, Palaro 2024)
• James Espiritu (archery, Palaro 2024)
• Ilocos Norte junior baseball team
• Ilocos Norte junior softball team

Performances in honor of Ilocos’ history

In the opening ceremony’s main program, “Palakasan: Tales of Filipino Strength,” audiences will witness an artistic display of Ilocos’ rich history. The performances will be an ode to Lam-ang (Ilocano epic), the Basi Revolt (1807 Ilocano revolution), and “The Ilocano Shark” — swimmer Teofilo Yldefonso, who is the man on this year’s Palaro logo. 

Performances will be headlined by Angeline Quinto, who is set to belt out her song “Piliin Mo ang Pilipinas,” and her own rendition of “Ako ay Pilipino” by Kuh Ledesma. 

P-pop boy group ALAMAT, whose members hail from different parts of the Philippines, will also showcase pride from the regions during their set. They are returning to the Palaro stage after also performing in last year’s opening ceremony.

Several young Ilokano talents will take center stage, including Luke Zyruz Tallano, Vaugn Wilson Ventura, Lord Jacob dela Cruz, and Jaimie Austin Chan.

A massive speech choir featuring some 3,000 DepEd Ilocos Norte teachers will deliver a choral piece alongside the Tan-ok Dancers, known for representing their municipalities during the province’s Festival of Festivals.

Other performers include the Batac junior college pep squad, Chase Pagtaconan, and young students from different schools in Ilocos.

The games will run from May 25 to 30, and will close on May 31. – Rappler.com