MALAY, Aklan — Rising volleyball star Rhose Viane Almendralejo capped a banner year by claiming the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Athlete of the Year award, emerging as the top performer in the national school sports landscape during the Gawad Pagkilala sa Larangan ng Sports held Monday night.
The Bacolod Tay Tung High School standout — who recently committed to join the NU Lady Bulldogs — also secured the Outstanding Athlete for Ball Games citation during the ceremony at the Paradise Garden Hotel and Convention Center.
Almendralejo was a central figure in Western Visayas’ runner-up finish in the Palarong Pambansa secondary girls’ volleyball and further elevated her profile after representing the Philippines as part of the Alas Pilipinas Girls squad in the Asian Youth Games.
Thunderbolts team captain Brianna Nicola Ang likewise earned national recognition after being named Palarong Pambansa Sports Idol, standing out as one of the most admired athletes in this year’s meet.
The Negros Island Region also celebrated multiple awardees:
* Mico Villaran (athletics) — Outstanding Athlete for Measurable Sports
* Rian Ambino (baseball) — Outstanding Athlete for Batted Games
From Western Visayas, Melchor Bataican (arnis) was honored as Outstanding Athlete for Combative Sport.
Other national honorees included:
* Mary Janelle Tan (Northern Mindanao, chess) — Outstanding Athlete for Individual Sports
* Etha Seno (Central Visayas, tennis) — Outstanding Athlete for Racket Sports
* Jezreel Semense (Zamboanga Peninsula, para-athletics) — Palarong Pambansa Exceptional Para-Athlete
The DepEd, through the Office of the Undersecretary for Governance and Operations and the Palarong Pambansa Secretariat, selected the awardees./PN
