AGUSAN DEL SUR — Western Visayas completed a dominant run in the 2026 Palarong Pambansa elementary boys football tournament, overwhelming Central Visayas, 5-0, in the championship match on Saturday to capture the gold medal and underscore the region’s growing strength in grassroots football.
The Regional VI booters dictated the pace from the opening whistle and never looked back, unleashing a relentless attack that produced five unanswered goals while shutting down Central Visayas’ offense to secure one of Western Visayas’ most convincing championship victories in the national scholastic games.
Joriel Pastor ignited the scoring spree in the opening set before Nicolo Xhebastian Biñas doubled the lead in the second set to put Western Visayas firmly in control.
Clien Bayo-ang then took center stage in the third set, firing two goals to widen the gap, while Armando Layda delivered the finishing touch as Western Visayas completed the rout and sealed the national title.
Bayo-ang emerged as the tournament’s biggest individual winner after claiming both the Most Valuable Player and Golden Boot awards for his stellar offensive performance throughout the competition.
The team’s defensive excellence was likewise recognized, with goalkeeper Marcus Anton Tupas earning the Golden Glove Award, while Layda was named Most Promising Player.
Western Visayas also dominated the individual citations as head coach Samson Flores was named Best Coach. Flores was assisted by Ariel Bedic, while Nigel Montaño served as trainer.
Also making up the championship squad were Sebastian Araneta, Paul James Pagado, Jhon Louie Rosquillo, Romel Sumagaysay, Azzir Yaj Sevilla, Kyzer Luis Castete, Jan Angelo Deñola, Kiven Molina, Jhon Rey Argarado, Jacob Silao, Lance Villacastin, Rhaye Matthew Bayquin, Marc Jhanrie Betco, Jumel Bracamonte, Clark Lianza, and Marc Kent Buenavista.
The football gold highlighted another productive day for Western Visayas athletes across multiple disciplines in the country’s premier scholastic sporting event.
In swimming, Nuche Victoria V. Ibit struck gold in the secondary division, while Nuche Veronica V. Ibit added another gold medal and supplemented it with a silver and a bronze. Kassandra G. Jamandre contributed a silver medal in secondary swimming, while Julia Sohlen Orada secured bronze.
Western Visayas also captured silver medals in the elementary girls and secondary girls swimming team competitions. Brennant P. Hilario chipped in a bronze medal in elementary swimming.
On the track, the elementary boys relay team composed of Jake Pablo, Zachary Pallares, Zain Gabriel Galaura, and Marthonne Dumolong sprinted to the gold medal.
Devriel G. Labordo won silver in secondary athletics, while the secondary relay team of Noriel Abedo, Jhon Del Rosario, Devriel Labordo, and Robbie Aguilar settled for bronze. Andish Kiel Oñate also earned a bronze medal in elementary athletics.
In taekwondo, Adrian Joseph H. Gajasan III delivered a gold-medal performance in the secondary division.
Western Visayas also collected medals in arnis, earning bronze in the secondary boys’ Likha Anyo Espada y Daga, secondary boys’ Likha Anyo Double Weapon, and elementary mixed Anyo Double Weapon events.
Rapha Eliel S. Velasquez contributed a bronze medal in secondary archery, while John Rafael Santiago and Francis Nigel De Juan secured silver in secondary tennis doubles.
The region likewise celebrated success in the Paragames, where Aiza Coleen S. Buinavides captured gold in elementary athletics to further boost Western Visayas’ medal haul./PN
