MANILA — Bacolod City is gearing up for one of the biggest youth sporting events in the country as it prepares to host the 2026 Batang Pinoy from Dec. 12 to 18, with around 18,000 young athletes from across the Philippines expected to converge in the City of Smiles.
The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and Bacolod City officials expressed confidence that the city is ready to stage the weeklong national youth games, which returns to its original host city 27 years after the inaugural edition was held there in 1999.
Bacolod City’s Mayor Greg Gasataya said preparations are well underway, with accommodations, billeting centers, and competition venues already identified to ensure the successful staging of the country’s premier grassroots sports competition.
“We thank the Philippine Sports Commission for allowing us to host this year. Bacolod is prepared,” said Gasataya during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday at the PSC media room.
Gasataya said the city has more than 4,000 hotel rooms available for athletes, coaches, and officials, while public schools are also being readied to accommodate delegations from around the country.
The PSC expects about 18,000 athletes and more than 1,000 officials representing 188 local government units to participate in the annual meet, making it one of the largest editions of Batang Pinoy in recent years.
PSC chairman Patrick Gregorio underscored the importance of local government support in staging major sporting events and said Bacolod’s commitment was a key factor in securing the hosting rights.
“Ano ba ang criteria to host? Basta ang importante is pag involved ang mayor, kung may commitment, siguradong mangyayari,” Gregorio said.
Batang Pinoy serves as the country’s premier talent-identification program for young athletes aged eight to 15, providing a platform for future national team members and elite performers.
“Sa Batang Pinoy, the athletes aged eight years old, sila ang superstars,” Gregorio added.
PSC commissioner and Batang Pinoy project director Bong Coo announced that 30 sports will be contested this year, three more than in the previous edition.
Golf, skateboarding, and bowling have been added to the program, joining aquatics, archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, boxing, chess, cycling, dancesport, futsal, gymnastics, jiujitsu, judo, karate, kickboxing, muay, pencak silat, sepak takraw, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling, and wushu.
“We are hoping for a prosperous and successful Batang Pinoy in December,” said Coo.
Also present during the forum were Department of the Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Rolando Puno, Bacolod City Administrator Mark Mayo, and Department of Education Director Miguel Mantaring./PN
