| 61st Palarong Pambansa | |
| Size: | 230px |
| Host City: | Vigan, Ilocos Sur |
| Country: | Philippines |
| Teams: | 17 regional athletic associations |
| Athletes: | 15,000+ athletes |
| Opening: | 15 April |
| Closing: | 21 April |
| Stadium: | Quirino Stadium |
| Opened By: | Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte |
| Torch Lighter: | Luis Gabriel Moreno |
| Previous: | 2017 |
| Next: | 2019 |
The 2018 Palarong Pambansa was the 61st edition of the Palarong Pambansa multi-sports event and was held in Vigan, Ilocos Sur from April 15 to 21, 2018.[1] Student athletes from 17 athletic associations representing the 17 regions of the Philippines competed in different sporting events and disciplines.
The cities of Baguio, Iligan, Vigan and the province of Bukidnon made a bid to host the 61st Palarong Pambansa. In 2017, Vigan was selected host of the Games.[2] In January 2018, the Department of Education and the provincial government of Ilocos Sur signed a memorandum of agreement regarding the hosting of the games to be held primarily in Vigan.[3]
The opening ceremony of the 2018 Palarong Pambansa was held at the Quirino Stadium in Bantay, Ilocos Sur on April 15, 2018. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was the guest speaker of the event for the second consecutive year.[4] Duterte stated that the event is a breeding ground for future sports icons and nation-builders, "whose values and principles are founded on perseverance, discipline, teamwork, integrity, and love of country".[5]
Sports personalities including chess grandmaster Eugene Torre, cue artist Efren "Bata" Reyes, bowler Paeng Nepomuceno, swimmer Eric Buhain, long jumper Elma Muros, 1996 Summer Olympics silver medalist Mansueto Velasco, 2014 Youth Olympic Games gold medalist Luis Gabriel Moreno and 2016 Summer Olympics silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz led the carrying of the giant Philippine flag. Moreno then lit the friendship cauldron using an arrow shot, symbolizing the commencement of the games.[6]
Lydia de Vega-Mercado, considered as Asia's fastest woman in the 1980s, was honored as the Palarong Pambansa Lifetime Achievement Awardee during the opening rites. Her daughter, Stephanie represented her in the event.[7]
On the second day of the Games on 16 April 2018, barefoot runner Lheslie de Lima from Camarines Sur won the first gold medal of the event in the 3,000 meter run (secondary girls category). She dedicated the win to her distant relative Senator Leila de Lima, who is currently in prison.[8]
At the final day of the Games on April 21, 2018, the National Capital Region capped off their campaign with their 14th straight-overall championship, winning 100 gold, 70 silver and 50 bronze medals. Calabarzon and Western Visayas ended up with 1st and 2nd runner-up finishes, respectively.[9]
These are the regular sports disciplines that were played in the games.
These are the seven demonstration sports played at this year's Palarong Pambansa.
These are the four para sports that were contested at this year's Palarong Pambansa.
A total of 17 athletic associations coming from 17 regions of the country participated in the athletic meet. The provinces of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental which competed under the Negros Island Region in the previous two editions of the games (2016 Palarong Pambansa and 2017 Palarong Pambansa) will now compete and merge with their previous original regions, Western Visayas and Central Visayas respectively, after the Negros Island Region which was created in 2015 was dissolved by President Rodrigo Duterte.[1]
| Regions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Code | Name | Colors |
| ARMMAA | Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao | |
| CARAA | Cordillera Administrative Region | |
| NCRAA | National Capital Region | |
| IRAA | Region I or Ilocos Region | |
| CAVRAA | Region II or Cagayan Valley | |
| CLRAA | Region III or Central Luzon | |
| STCAA | Region IV-A or Southern Tagalog - Calabarzon | |
| MRAA (MimaropaA) | Region IV-B or Southern Tagalog - Mimaropa | |
| BRAA | Region V or Bicol Region | |
| WVRAA | Region VI or Western Visayas | |
| CVRAA | Region VII Central Visayas | |
| EVRAA | Region VIII or Eastern Visayas | |
| ZPRAA | Region IX or Zamboanga Peninsula | |
| NMRAA | Region X or Northern Mindanao | |
| DAVRAA | Region XI or Davao Region | |
| SRAA | Region XII or Soccsksargen | |
| CaragaRAA | Region XIII or Caraga | |
At least 34 different locations in various towns across Ilocos Sur and its capital city Vigan were selected as the playing venues for the 26 sports disciplines of the games.[10]
| Regular Events | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event | Venue | Municipality | ||
| San Ildefonso Elementary School | San Ildefonso | |||
| San Vicente Municipal Gym | San Vicente | |||
| Quirino Stadium Poolside | Bantay | |||
| Quirino Stadium (track and jumping events) UNP Athletic Grounds (throwing events) | Bantay Vigan | |||
| Vigan City Convention Center | Vigan | |||
| Barangay Tamag Motorpool Area | Vigan | |||
| San Ildefonso Municipal Covered Court (Elementary) San Juan Municipal Gym (Secondary Boys) Caoayan Municipal Gym (Secondary Girls) Quirino Stadium Open Court (3x3) | San Ildefonso San Juan Caoayan Bantay | |||
| Plaza Burgos | Vigan | |||
| Baluarte Function Hall - A | Vigan | |||
| Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary (Elementary) Saint Paul College of Ilocos Sur Football Field (Elementary) Quirino Stadium (Secondary) Pagsanaan Football Field (Secondary) | Vigan San Vicente Bantay Magsingal | |||
| Barangay Pasungol Covered Court Santa Municipal Gym | Santa | |||
| Gymnastics | Santa Maria Municipal Gym | Santa Maria | ||
| Vigan Bantay | ||||
| Cirilo Lao Construction Compound | Bantay | |||
| Philippine Science High School Ilocos Region Campus Gym | ||||
| Santo Domingo Municipal Gym | ||||
| Quirino Stadium Open Court (Elementary Boys) Vigan City Tennis Club (Elementary Girls) San Ildefonso Tennis Court (Secondary Boys) Santo Domingo Tennis Court (Secondary Boys) Santa Catalina Tennis Court (Secondary Girls) | ||||
| Barangay Ayusan Norte Covered Court (Elementary Boys) Barangay Beddeng Laud Covered Court (Elementary Girls) Quirino Stadium Open Court (Secondary Boys) Santa Catalina Municipal Gym (Secondary Boys) Barangay Poblacion Gym (Secondary Girls) | ||||
| Demonstration Sports | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event | Venue | Municipality | ||
| NSCC Function Hall | Caoayan | |||
| Lyric Cinema Billiards Center | Vigan | |||
| NSCC Function Hall | Caoayan | |||
| Barangay Tamag Covered Court | Vigan | |||
| Barangay 9 Titong Singson Multi-purpose Covered Court | Vigan | |||
| Bantay West Central Elementary School | Bantay | |||
| Special Para Events | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event | Venue | Municipality | ||
| San Vicente Plaza | San Vicente | |||
| Ilocos Sur Badminton Club | Bantay | |||
Several public and private elementary, secondary and tertiary schools, colleges and universities situated at the provincial capital Vigan and nearby towns were selected as the billeting areas for delegates and officials of the games.[11]
| Billeting Areas | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athletic Association Code | Region | Billeting Area | Location | |
| ARMMAA | San Vicente IS Bayubay ES Pangada ES | San Vicente San Vicente Sta. Catalina | ||
| CARAA | Sto. Domingo NCS Sto. Domingo SCS Benito Soliven Academy | Sto. Domingo | ||
| NCRAA | Sinait NHS Salindeg ES (buffer holding area) | Sinait Vigan | ||
| IRAA | San Sebastian ES San Sebastian NHS Pudoc ES | San Vicente | ||
| CAVRAA | Cabugao SCS Cabugao NCS Cabugao Institute Balaleng ES (buffer holding area) | Cabugao Cabugao Cabugao Bantay | ||
| CLRAA | Ilocos Sur NHS | Vigan | ||
| STCAA | Vigan NHS East Nagsangalan ES Rugsuanan ES | |||
| MRAA (MimaropaA) | Sta. Maria NHS Capangpangan ES (buffer holding area) | Santa Maria Vigan | ||
| BRAA | Basug Commercial School Mabilbila Institute Santa CS | |||
| WVRAA | Bulag ES Bantay NHS Paing ES Ora East ES (buffer holding area) Ora West ES (buffer holding area) | |||
| CVRAA | Sta. Catalina CS Cabittaogan NHS Cabittaogan ES | |||
| EVRAA | Vigan | |||
| ZPRAA | Vigan CS Burgos Memorial School | Vigan | ||
| NMRAA | Narvacan NHS | Narvacan | ||
| DAVRAA | Ilocos Sur NHS Ayusan-Paoa ES (buffer holding area) | Vigan | ||
| SRAA | Vigan | |||
| Caraga | Naglaoa-an NHS Naglaoa-an ES Sagsagat ES | Santo Domingo Santo Domingo San Ildefonso | ||
CS - central school, NCS - north central school, SCS - south central school, ES - elementary school, IS - integrated school, NHS - national high school.
| Billeting Areas | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Billeting Area | Location | |
| Cal-Laguip Elementary School | Caoayan | ||
| San Ildefonso Central School | |||
| Caoayan Central School | Caoayan | ||
| Burgos Memorial School East | Vigan | ||
| Tamag Elementary School | Vigan | ||
| Silang Elementary School | Bantay | ||
| Burgos Memorial School East | Vigan | ||
| Bantay West Central Elementary School | Bantay | ||
| Caoayan National High School | Caoayan | ||
| Cal-Laguip Elementary School | Caoayan | ||
| Guimod Elementary School | Bantay | ||
| Sacuyya Community School | Santa | ||
| Paras-Parada Elementary School | Santo Domingo | ||
| Caoayan Central School | Caoayan | ||
| Baggoc P. Quitiquit Elementary School | Caoayan | ||
| Busiing Elementary School | |||
| San Ildefonso Central School | |||
| Sta. Maria Central School | Santa Maria | ||
| Caoayan National High School | Caoayan | ||
| Bantay West Central Elementary School | Bantay | ||
| San Julian Elementary School | Vigan | ||
| Bantay West Central Elementary School | Bantay | ||