BACOLOD City — Pickleball enthusiasts from across the country are expected to converge in Bacolod City for the Benitez Million Pickleball Cup, a three-day tournament offering a total prize pool of P1 million.
Accredited as one of the events of the MassKara Festival 2026, the tournament will run from October 16 to 18 at Paddle City in Barangay Singcang-Airport, bringing together hundreds of players from Negros Island and other parts of the Philippines.
Organized by One Pickleball Tournament Organizers (OPTO), the event is being promoted as the first pickleball tournament in Bacolod and the country to offer a P1-million prize pool.
Richard Nagac, OPTO tournament manager, said the competition comes amid the sport’s rapid growth in Bacolod, Negros Island and other parts of the country.
“This tournament comes at a time when we are seeing the growth of pickleball not only in Bacolod but throughout Negros Island and the entire Philippines,” Nagac said.
He said the event would bring together players of different skill levels and strengthen the local pickleball community.
“With the P1-million prize pool and different kinds of athletes coming together, this is not just a competition but a celebration of community,” Nagac said.
Nagac also thanked Paddle City and Negros Occidental Third District Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez for supporting the tournament and helping bring the sporting event to Bacolod.
The strong interest was evident when registration opened on September 20. Organizers said registration closed after about three hours, with approximately 800 participants signing up and paying the P800 registration fee.
Part of the registration proceeds will go to Negrense Volunteers for Change (NVC), a foundation that supports sustainable livelihoods for disadvantaged communities and promotes child development through proper nutrition, holistic education and a wholesome family life.
Charles Go, one of Paddle City’s incorporators, expressed appreciation for the partnership with Benitez in bringing together pickleball enthusiasts from Negros and other parts of the country.
Organizers said the tournament’s youngest participant is a 16-year-old male student from Bacolod, while the oldest is a 72-year-old player competing in the Executive category.
The tournament will feature several categories with cash prizes for the top three finishers.
The Beginners category will award P20,000 for gold, P15,000 for silver and P10,000 for bronze.
In the Newbies category, winners will receive P30,000, P20,000 and P10,000, respectively. The Intermediate category will offer P40,000 for gold, P30,000 for silver and P20,000 for bronze.
The Open Top Level category will award P60,000 to the gold medalist, P30,000 to the silver medalist and P20,000 to the bronze medalist.
Meanwhile, players aged 50 and above in the 50-plus Executive category will compete for P50,000 for gold, P30,000 for silver and P20,000 for bronze.
Nagac said the overwhelming registration response reflects pickleball’s growing popularity and players’ enthusiasm for major competitions.
The Benitez Million Pickleball Cup is expected to further boost Bacolod’s profile as a venue for major sporting events while bringing together the country’s expanding pickleball community./PN
