BUZZ BEAT MEDIA

In line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s vision of strengthening grassroots sports development in the country, the Department of Education (DepEd) has announced the inclusion of weightlifting, pole vault for secondary girls, and pencak silat in the 65th Palarong Pambansa, set to take place from May 24 to 31, 2025, in Ilocos Norte.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara made the announcement during the opening ceremony of the 2025 Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association (CARAA) Sports Meet on Sunday, emphasizing that weightlifting will debut as a demonstration sport, while pole vault for secondary girls will be a regular event in athletics. Pencak Silat, meanwhile, will be introduced as a regular sports after being a demo sports since 2017.

“In the upcoming Palarong Pambansa, we will have weightlifting for the first time, with no less than Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz as our resource person,” Angara stated. “Maswerte po ang ating mga learner-athletes. It is your chance to try out these sports.”

Diaz, a four-time Olympian, expressed her excitement over weightlifting’s inclusion in the Palarong Pambansa, following her historic gold medal win at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

“I have long hoped for my sport to once again be part of the biggest national sporting event for student-athletes in the Philippines. Now, it’s finally happening. Maraming salamat sa tulong at suporta mula kay Department of Education Sec. Sonny Angara, sa Palarong Pambansa Board, at sa Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas (SWP),” Diaz said.

Last year, Sec. Angara met with Diaz and world No. 4 pole vaulter EJ Obiena on separate occasions to explore the possibility of including their proposed events in the Palaro. Months later, their vision is set to become reality, expanding opportunities for young Filipino athletes to excel in new disciplines.

Kickboxing will also be featured as an exhibition sport, further diversifying this year’s Palarong Pambansa lineup.

Hosted by the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte, led by Governor Matthew Manotoc, in collaboration with DepEd-Region I and the Schools Division Office of Ilocos Norte, the 65th Palarong Pambansa will gather around 15,000 participants from 18 delegations, including the National Academy of Sports.

Adding to the festivities, Palaro ng Lahi/Larong Pinoy will also be featured to promote traditional Filipino games and preserve the rich cultural heritage of indigenous communities among the nation’s youth.

*All Photos from DepEd