CEBU CITY — The 64th Palarong Pambansa commenced in a grand fashion at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC), with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. leading the opening ceremony.
Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia and Cebu City Acting Mayor Raymond Garcia jointly handed over to Pres. Marcos the torch that was used to lit up the big urn at the CCSC, symbolizing the opening of the weeklong sporting event.
In his speech, the President — who was introduced by Gov. Garcia — said that Palarong Pambansa is “more than just a platform for discovering talents” as it is a venue for fostering national pride.
“The Palarong Pambansa stands as the country’s pinnacle of national sporting events. Today, we continue this important legacy, celebrating not just games but also the unity, camaraderie, and national pride that these games inspire,” Pres. Marcos said before a jampacked CCSC.
The Palarong Pambansa 2024 brings together approximately 41,000 delegates, including dignitaries, officials, coaches, assistant coaches, student-athletes, and other guests from 17 regions, as well as newcomers from the National Academy of Sports (NAS) and Philippine Schools Overseas (PSO).
Of the figure, a staggering 16,233 of them are athletes, 1,372 are coaches, with 859 assistant coaches — all set to compete in 35 diverse games that include regular sports like gymnastics, basketball, and taekwondo; demonstration sports such as Pencak Silat; Paragames featuring Para-athletics, Para-swimming, Bocce, and Goalball; exhibition sports like soft tennis, karatedo, esports, and football; and traditional Filipino games such as kadang-kadang, patintero, and tumbang preso.
Running from July 10 to 16, the event is themed “Beyond the Sport” and will take place in 37 venues across the Province of Cebu, as the Capitol has come to the aid of Cebu City in helping spread out the games to other venues in the province, such as Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City, City of Naga, and Carcar City — giving the athletes an opportunity to see Cebu beyond the urban center.
This also marks the first time in 30 years that Cebu is hosting the Palarong Pambansa, and the third time overall since 1954, with the last hosting being in 1994.
“To the local government officials and the people of Cebu, thank you for making this event possible,” Pres. Marcos said in his speech, while addressing Gov. Garcia and Acting Mayor Garcia.
“It is a very great achievement that you are able to manage to put together this spectacular event on such a short time. And I know there were many sleepless nights before we consider ourselves ready for this and for that we thank you, because your warmth, your hospitality, and enthusiasm are clearly, truly remarkable. I’m confident these will undoubtedly lead to the triumph of this year’s Palarong Pambansa,” the President added.
Established by Republic Act No. 10588 or the “Palarong Pambansa Act of 2013,” this annual multi-level scholastic competition is organized by the Department of Education in collaboration with the Philippine Sports Commission and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
This sporting event, participated in by Filipino athletes, remains a vital platform for promoting sportsmanship and unity among young Filipino athletes. It aims to not only foster athletic excellence but also provide young athletes with a chance to immerse themselves in Cebu’s rich culture, traditions, and scenic beauty. | Jude Torres