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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider NAS eyes bigger contingent for 2026 Palaro

NAS eyes bigger contingent for 2026 Palaro

Published Mar 10, 2026 05:01 pm

At A Glance

  • The National Academy of Sports is looking forward to bringing its biggest contingent for the upcoming 2026 Palarong Pambansa in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur in May.
NAS' Riannah Coleman
NAS' Riannah Coleman
The National Academy of Sports is looking forward to bringing its biggest contingent for the upcoming 2026 Palarong Pambansa in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur in May.
After its first-ever stint in the Palaro two years ago, NAS, led by its executive director Kiko Diaz, plans to assemble a team of 100 student-athletes as they eye to surpass their previous medal haul in the annual grassroots multi-sports tournament.
The government-run sports academy first competed in 2024 in Cebu City where it took home one gold, five silver, and two bronze medals. A year later in Laoag, the school bagged six golds, two silvers, and six bronzes.
“Part of our program in how to really elevate the sports performance of our student-athletes there,” said Diaz during Tuesday’s PSA Forum presented by San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, and the country’s 24/7 sports app ArenaPlus, is the coming Vermosa Victory Games.
“So ngayon, truth to be told, I have a team right now na nasa Agusan, para pwede naming ma-address ‘yong mga pangangailangan ng student-athletes na magpa-participate do’n,” he added. “We’re probably looking at 100 student-athletes this year.”
Diaz also disclosed that they had written a request of further formalizing its involvement in the Palaro with a special path which would let the winnings of the NAS athletes be credited to their respective hometowns.
Aside from Palaro, Diaz, who succeeded the position from Josephine Joy Reyes last week, had talks with the UAAP regarding their interest in joining the league’s juniors division.
“Alam naman natin ‘yong UAAP, these past years, already opened their doors, to non-UAAP member schools to participate in their junior events… similarly parang magfo-formalize kami pwedeng magkaroon ng MOU [memorandum of understanding] later on,” Diaz continued.
“For them to be able to admit NAS, in the different junior events sa UAAP, na meron kami sa NAS,” he added.
In early 2025, both PAREF Southridge School and Claret School of Quezon City made their respective debut as guest schools in the high school boys’ football competition which NAS wants to achieve in the coming months.
So far, NAS, which was founded in June 2020, offered eight disciplines – all medal-rich sports in the international tournaments, including the Olympics – in Aquatics, Athletics, Badminton, Gymnastics, Judo, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, and Weightlifting.
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