ILOILO City – With a mission to rebound from a dip in rankings and to solidify its legacy before the regional split, Western Visayas is heading into the 2025 Palarong Pambansa with fierce determination to reclaim the overall title and defend its national records in key sporting events.
“This year marks a unique participation for us, as we still have athletes from Negros Occidental included in the delegation. Beginning next year, they will form part of the new Negros Island Region (NIR) and compete separately,” said Hernani Escullar Jr., spokesperson for the Department of Education (DepEd) in Western Visayas.
The region is aiming to surpass its third-place finish in the 2023 edition of the national games, following a runner-up performance the previous year.
For the 2025 Palaro set in Ilocos Norte from May 24 to June 1, Western Visayas is fielding a 1,005-strong delegation composed of 608 athletes, 88 coaches, 24 assistant coaches, 40 chaperones, seven management committee members, 43 oversight officials, and 195 technical staff.
“We have two record holders in swimming and javelin throw last year. We hope to add more,” Escullar noted.
Western Visayas holds the national record in the secondary girls’ 4×50-meter freestyle relay, though only half of last year’s winning quartet — Juliana Dejilla of St. La Salle in Bacolod City and Julia Sohlen Orada of Pavia National High School in Iloilo — are returning this year.
Elementary athlete Charles Daniel Turla of Gines Quinolpan Elementary School in Iloilo also shattered the javelin throw record last year, further fueling hopes of another record-breaking campaign.
Adding to the region’s title hopes, Bacolod Tay Tung High School will return to defend its back-to-back championship in the volleyball secondary girls’ division, a crown it has held since 2023.
The delegation departed Iloilo on May 17 and reached their billeting site at San Nicolas National High School, Ilocos Norte, on May 19 — geared up for what could be a historic final run as a united Western Visayas team./PN
