Palarong Pambansa fires off at Marcos turf

LAOAG CITY, Philippines – From the Cordilleras in the north to the  Bangsamoros in the south, all paths lead to the Ilocos Norte capital as the 2025 Palarong Pambansa promises to be the “best ever” in its 65 editions so far — under the scorching summer heat it may be.

And at the center of it will be no less than the President and Ilocandia’s very own son Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., in a festive opening ceremony Friday at 6:30 p.m. after the “Parada ng mga Atleta” at 5 p.m. to champion athletic excellence, cultural heritage, and national pride at the Ferdinand E. Marcos Memorial Stadium (FEMMS) located in the heart of the city.

Joining President Marcos is the country’s first-ever Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz as the booming discipline of weightlifting makes its debut as a demo sport in this year’s Palaro, along with kickboxing and futsal as exhibition games. 

Pencak silat and pole vault have also been recognized as regular sports from just a demo in past editions as football secondary girls will debut as a regular discipline right away, serving as the few commendable innovations of this year’s Palaro. 

This is the province’s second hosting of Palaro since 1967, sporting a theme of “Nagkakaisang Kapuluan” with the silhouette of Ilocano Shark and the country’s first Olympic medalist Teofilo Yldefonso of swimming, who hails from the nearby Piddig, Ilocos Norte, serving as the official games’ symbol.

Over 15,000 people from the archipelago’s 18 regions trooped to the Northern tourist spot that boasts the Bangui Wind Farm, pristine beaches and world-class diving sites of Pagudpud, the majestic Paoay Church, La Paz Sand Dunes and the Burgos Lighthouse.

The delegation is composed of 20 athletic associations, the National Academy of Sports, and the Philippine Schools Overseas as the nation’s finest student-athletes vie in 34 sports in 40 playing venues. 

Then there’s the Palaro venue being home to the President, from the nearby Batac City near Paoay, and the first for Department of Education secretary Sonny Angara. 

Add that to the unwavering Ilocano hospitality, culture and delicacy — and this might be enough to repel the heat index of up to 46 degrees at the heart of the Ilocos region to become the best edition in history. 

“Hopefully, we’re able to translate the heat to passion and energy with hopes of having the Ilocos Norte as the best Palarong Pambansa ever,” said DepEd undersecretary and Palaro secretary-general Malcolm Garma in a press conference as he was joined by Ilocos Norte sports development officer Helen Rose Domingo, sports consultant Engr. Faivo Bartolome and Ilocos Norte school division superintendent Atty. Donato D. Balderas Jr.

Games will officially begin on Monday until May 30 before the closing ceremony on May 31 though advance games for the elimination rounds of football, baseball, softball and boxing have already started. 

Palarong Lahi, led by native games Kadang-Kadang, Patintero and Sack Race, will lead the pre-tournament tomorrow along with the Governors’ Night and Basketball Exhibition Games featuring the DepEd central executive committee and the regional team. 

To ensure safety for all the participants amidst the torrid heat, DepEd with agency partners Philippine Sports Commission and Department of the Interior and Local Government, including the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte, led by Governor Matthew Manotoc and Vice Governor Cecilia Araneta Marcos, will implement a window break from 10 p.m. to 3 p.m.

National Capital Region remains the team to beat in the country’s premier scholastic sports competition after ruling the tournament for the 17th straight time last year in Cebu.