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BUENAVISTA, Agusan del Norte — The 2025 Indigeneous Peoples Games – Mindanao Leg organized by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) turned out to be another major success with the Municipality of Las Nieves winning the overall championship over the weekend.
With two first-place finishes, two second places and one third place in five events, Las Nieves defeated 10 other municipalities to romp away with the championship and the top prize of P60,000 in the two-day event hosted by the City of Buenavista, led by Mayor Joselito Roble, and supported by the Provincial Government of Agusan del Norte, headed by Gov. Angel Amante.
Close to 500 athletes and officials representing several indigenous tribes from the CARAGA Region, including Butuan City, participated in the event also supported by the National Commission on Indigeneous People (NCIP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) as part of the celebration of the Indigenous Peoples Month and the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act.
“We are very grateful to the Philippine Sports Commission for giving us this opportunity and we intend to make this traditional games; competition a regular event here during the IP month of October,” said Gov. Amante, who served as inspiration to all the LGUs in her province.
Tracing her roots from the Manobos, Gov. Amante said she was “more than happy witnessing this event materialize during her term thru the help of the PSC, NCIP, DepEd and other key players.”
Gov. Amante also decided to hold these traditional games as a regular part of the activities of the IP Month every October,
Mayor Roble, on the other hand, admitted he accepted the hosting job for the IP Games last year without even being familiar with the details, “but with what we witnessed, the coming together here of the different tribes in a friendly competition, it was all worth it.”
The PSC, represented here by Lito Cinco with Commissioner Matthew Gaston being out of the country, said Gov. Amante and Mayor Roble raised the bar to a new level.
“It will be a big challenge to duplicate it in the future. We also hope to make the cultural night that was part of the event for the first time, a regular one in future IP Games,” said Cinco.
Las Nieves banked on first-place finishes of Gil Bohoy in Bag-ud and the five-man team in Unahik/Palosebo; runner-up finishes of Archie Una in Bangkaw and five-man team in Lubok-Humay; and third place of Judith Una in Takyang.
Cabadbaran finished second overall, while Nasipit wound up third overall.
Cabadbaran topped the Lubok-Humay, finished second in Takyang, Bag-ud and Tug-of-War, and third in Bangkaw and Unahik/Palosebo.
Nasipit, on the other hand, ruled the Sud-Sud thru Christine Mansaguinda and came in third in Lubok Humay and Tug-of-War.
The other municipalities which participated are Buenavista, Butuan, Catmen, Jabonga, Kitcharao, RTR (Remedios T. Romualdez), Santiago and Tubay.