2025 Palarong Pambansa: Guide and Updates

The 2025 Palarong Pambansa officially opened on Saturday at the Ferdinand E. Marcos Memorial Stadium in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.

Around 15,000 student-athletes are expected to participate in the annual sports festival which will run from May 25 to 30.

Here are the other details you need to know about the 65th Palarong Pambansa:

• Sports
  • Regular sports: archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball (5x5), basketball (3x3), boxing, chess, dance sport, football, futsal, gymnastics, pencak silat, sepak takraw, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball, wrestling, and wushu
  • Demo sport: weightlifting
  • Exhibition sports: kickboxing, football (secondary girls), and futsal (elementary girls)
• Achievements
  • In 2024, National Capital Region ruled Palaro for the 17th straight edition with 98 gold medals, 66 silver, and 74 bronze.

READ | Palarong Pambansa Medal Tally

Here are some of the updates from the Palaro in Ilocos Norte:

• May 24, 2025
  • No injuries, major damages in Palaro from La Union quake
  • 'Biag ni Lam-ang'-inspired opening ceremony
• May 25, 2025
  • Hidilyn Diaz says inclusion of weightlifting in Palaro a huge step for sport
  • Fueled by Hidilyn Diaz' success, this athlete from Rizal chases her own weightlifting dream
• May 26, 2025
  • Region 8 athletics bet Chrisia Tajarros claims first gold in 2025 Palarong Pambansa
  • Matthew Diaz, Hidilyn's nephew, wins gold as weightlifting demo event kicks off in Palarong Pambansa
  • Ex-swimmer, former boxer linked up in running to clinch first gold in 2025 Palarong Pambansa
  • Like his Tita Hidilyn, Matthew Diaz also aspires to reach Olympic stage
  • NCR leads medal tally after strong start in 2025 Palarong Pambansa opener
• May 27, 2025
  • Bacolod's Mico Villaran shatters 15-year Palarong Pambansa record in secondary boys' 110m hurdles
  • Central Luzon, Western Visayas bets break Palaro records in secondary boys’ 400m race, discus throw
  • Jhul Ian Cañalita resets 27-year Palarong Pambansa record in 5000m run
  • Eldrew and Carlos Yulo's heir apparent? Young NCR gymnast Arman Hernandez Jr. bags five Palaro golds
  • Swimmer Titus Sia breaks two Palarong Pambansa records in one day
  • Birthday girl Trixia Arellano gets perfect gift: a Palaro gold medal
• May 28, 2025
  • Palarong Pambansa gold medalist Mico Villaran shares reason behind hair color
  • In Day 3 of Palarong Pambansa, several athletes cop multiple medals
• May 29, 2025
  • Western Visayas upsets NCR in Palarong Pambansa secondary boys basketball
  • Trained by two former Olympians, Naina Tagle now dominating archery in Palarong Pambansa
  • Nine-year old arnisador Shayne Monreal captures four Palaro gold medals
  • Brave Erno, daughter of firefighters, dominates the waters of Palarong Pambansa
  • Western Visayas upsets CALABARZON to reach Palaro basketball finals
• May 30, 2025
  • Davao routs Western Visayas for first-ever Palarong Pambansa HS basketball title
  • Former teammate of Scottie Thompson steers Davao to maiden Palaro HS basketball title
  • NCR swimmers Titus Sia, Sophia Garra win seven gold medals each in Palarong Pambansa

—JKC, GMA Integrated News