Despite failing to improve their first runner-up standing in last year’s Palarong Pambansa, the Western Visayas delegation is still brimming with pride and honor as they dominated some of the team sports including record breakers in athletics in Cebu City.
Making an emphatic performance, WV wrapped up the 2024 edition with a total of 56 gold, 41 silver, and 41 bronze medals, making it the third highest in the overall medal tally next to Region 4-A’s 57 gold, 51 silver, and 53 bronze medals; and NCR’s 98 gold, 66 silver, and 74 bronze medals which finished second and first place, respectively.
Triggering the region’s win streak, Carles, Iloilo homegrown long jumper Sam Kemjie Bantilo leaped 7.09m to give WV its first gold medal. Janry Songcayawon also displayed mastery as he pocketed the first gold medal in Bocce Single Male, outplaying Region IX in a one-sided match, 7-1.
Ilonggo thrower Charles Daniel Turla of San Enrique, Iloilo introduced himself in front of the crowd through a record-breaking throw of 60.26 meters in elementary boys’ javelin throw, shattering the previous 57.50m record set by Jeric Mendoza in Palaro 2016.
Proving that Western Visayas is a home to great sprinters, Ilongga runner Princess Mae Lachica wowed the crowd after outmuscling her rivals and contributing three golds in the region’s medal haul. Smallest in the track, Lachica proved that size doesn’t matter following her outstanding performance that propelled her to the top spots in elementary girls’ 400m hurdles, 200m sprint, and 4x400m relay.
Represented by Bacolod Tay Tung High School, the region’s volleybelles made a historic back-to-back championship title after outlasting the gritty FEU Diliman High School-led National Capital Region in a stimulating five-setter championship match, 25-15, 18-25, 27-29, 25-22, and 15-12.
Prodigious Dona Mae de Leon sparked off the counter-attack with her impressive net defense, making her the first middle blocker in the competition to register two-digit points in the blocking department. The budding volleyball star tallied a total of 15 points via 10 blocks and 5 attacks.
Another history is also set by Anilao Central Elementary School, as it brought Western Visayas its first national podium title in elementary baseball boys, following a come from behind win against the title-holder CALABARZON in an extended eighth inning of the action-packed championship match, 5-4.
The elementary boys 5×5 basketball crown stays in Western Visayas after the tight defense of St. Robert’s International College successfully rejected Central Luzon’s attempt to snatch the title during the do-or-die finals game that ended in the defender’s favor, 54-49.
In an exquisite battle of control and precision, WVRAA paddlers also emerged victorious as they reigned the table tennis after finishing gold in elementary girl’s singles, elementary boy’s singles, elementary girl’s doubles, and secondary girl’s doubles.
In martial arts, Western Visayas once again attested to be a powerhouse of Arnisadors as it amassed a total of seven gold medals in secondary boys and girls.
Represented by Cabatuan National Comprehensive High School, Region 6 captured the gold in Individual Likha Anyo Single Weapon, Team Synchronized Likha Anyo Single Weapon, Team Synchronized Likha Anyo Double Weapon, Team Synchronized Likha Anyo Espada y Daga, and Full Contact Padded Stick Bantamweight and Featherweight Categories. Hailing from the same region, this year’s Arnis MVP is Kyle Angelo Tiron who constellated five golds in total.
Meanwhile, in Taekwondo, the region’s promising jins swept the Kyorugi elementary boys after securing the top spots in 144-152 cm, 152-160 cm, and over 160 cm categories. The team also managed to secure the gold in the Kyorugi Secondary Girls 49-52 kg category and Secondary Boys 59-63 category.
Ranking fourth in the overall standing is Region IX, followed by Region VII in fifth, Region III in sixth, Region VIII in seventh, Region VII in eighth, Region X in ninth, and Region V in tenth place.
The Palarong Pambansa 2025 will be hosted by Ilocos Norte while the 2026 edition will take place in Agusan Del Sur.IMT Sports
REPORTING by Vincent Dave Molavin, West Visayas State University College of Communication intern; EDITING by Elyrose Naorbe
