Bacolod City to host Batang Pinoy for fourth time in 2026
BACOLOD City is the hoist of the Batang Pinoy next year. (Bacolod City Communications Office)
BACOLOD CITY – This highly urbanized city was named host of the 2026 Batang Pinoy National Championships during the closing ceremony of the competition’s 2025 edition at the Antonio C. Acharon Sports Complex in General Santos City on Thursday night.
It will be Bacolod’s fourth time to host the sports event, which is led by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), after the inaugural games in 1999, as well as in 2001 and 2013.
“This is truly one of the biggest grassroots sports programs of the national government, and we look forward to discovering more young talents through Batang Pinoy 2026,” Mayor Greg Gasataya said in a video message.
PSC Chairperson John Patrick Gregorio witnessed the turnover of the Batang Pinoy banner by General Santos City Mayor Lorelie Pacquiao to Secretary to the Mayor Jose Marty Go, who represented Gasataya during the culmination event.
“It is just fitting for Bacolod to host the Batang Pinoy after several years, being among the pioneers of this grassroots sports program,” Gregorio said.
Bacolod, the home of the MassKara Festival, will host the 17th edition of the tournament for athletes 17 years and below next year.
The Batang Pinoy 2025 gathered 19,700 athletes from 191 local government units who competed in 27 sports events.
These were aquatics-swimming, archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, basketball (3x3), boxing, chess, cycling, dance sport, futsal, gymnastics, jiu-jitsu, judo, kickboxing, karate, muay, pencak silat, sepak takraw, soft tennis, tennis, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling, and wushu.