Manila: The country's biggest scholastic sporting event will usher in new opportunities for young Filipino athletes as the 66th Palarong Pambansa opens May 24 in Agusan del Sur, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said. "Palarong Pambansa continues to evolve alongside the aspirations of our learners. This year, we are opening more spaces for participation, recognizing more forms of athletic excellence, and creating a competition environment that is fairer and more inclusive," Angara said in a statement Friday.
According to Philippines News Agency, new events for 2026 include weightlifting, football for secondary girls, and futsal for elementary girls. Demonstration sports such as karate, kickboxing, and soft tennis will be featured, while Muay Thai and selected Paragames events - sitting volleyball and table tennis - will be staged as exhibitions to promote inclusivity.
Participation also expands with the return of the Negros Island Region as a separate delegation. The Philippine Schools Overseas (PSO) and the National Academy of Sports (NAS) will field independent teams, broadening the reach of the competition. The Department of Education has updated competition policies to promote balanced play, including a modified winner-take-all rule for team sports, continued qualifying standards for athletics, swimming, and archery, and a home region representation policy.
Eligible athletes from the National Training Pool and National Developmental Pool will also be allowed to compete. With final venue preparations completed, Angara expressed confidence in the province's readiness to host around 11,000 learner-athletes from across the Philippines for the weeklong games. "We believe that through a fairer and more inclusive Palarong Pambansa this year, every young athlete will be given greater opportunities to fully showcase their talent, potential, and excellence," Angara added.
The games, hosted by the Provincial Government of Agusan del Sur in partnership with DepEd-Caraga, the Schools Division Office of Agusan del Sur, the Philippine Sports Commission, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government, will run until May 31.
