Pacquiao, Diaz headline Batang Pinoy opening

General Santos City – With no less than boxing legend Manny Pacquiao and Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo in attendance, the 2025 Batang Pinoy National Games formally come off the wraps at the Antonio C. Acharon Sports Complex here Saturday.

Pacquiao, widely considered as the country’s greatest boxer of all time, and Diaz-Naranjo, who made history by winning the country’s first-ever Olympic gold medalist in Tokyo in 2020, will lead the Torch Relay and Cauldron Lighting during the colorful opening ceremony starting at 5 p.m.

General Santos City Mayor Lorelie Pacquiao will make the welcome remarks, whiel Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman John Patrick “Pato” Gregorio will give the inspirational message.

PSC Commissioner and Batang Pinoy Project Director Olivia “Bong” Coo will introduce the keynote speaker.

Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Juanito Victor Remulla will give the keynote address. 

Gregorio will also formally declare the opening of the Baatng Pinoy.

The prestigious, week-long competition showcasing the country’s future champions will kick off with the Assembly of athletes and officials at 1:30 p.m. and the parade of particiapnts at 3:30 p.m.

More than 18,927 athletes and 4,363 officials are expected to participate in the annual sports competition for 17 years old and under. 

These athletes wiill take part n 27 sports, namely, archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, basketball (3×3), boxing, chess, cycling, dancesport, futsal, gymnastics, jiu-jitsu, judo, kickboxing, karate, muay, pencak silat, sepak takraw, soft tennis, swimming tennis, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling and wushu.

Last year, Pasig City emerged as the overall champion in the 2024 edition held in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.

Pasig captured 105 golds, 64 silvers, and 116 bronze medals last year, dislodging four-time champion Baguio City.

Baguio settled for runner-up honor with 92 golds, 72 silvers and 89 bronzes.

Quezon City finished third with a 59-55-53 gold-silver-bronze medal tally, followed by Davao City in fourth place with 39-44-37, and General Santos City in fifth place with 36-30-40.

The PSC underscored the big role of the Batang Pinoy as part of the national sports program especially for the grassroots.

Last Oct. 3, Gregorio unveiled the brand new designed medals for the winners as well as the wooden crafted trophies, which featured a base that is made from the Lawaan wood sourced from the historic Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium built in 1934, for the winning LGUs.

The most bemedalled athletes for male and female divisions, for the first time, will also be recognized with their own set of trophies.

A total of P15 million is at stake in the Batang Pinoy with the top LGU coming away with the lion’s share of P5 million. 

The second place will have P4 million, the third place with P3 million, fourth place with P2 million and fifth with P1 million.

“This Batang Pinoy is really an important and integral part of the sports development program in the PSC. Galing tayo sa Congress and sa susunod sa Senate naman at isa lang ho ang tanong nila — share with us your national development program,” said Gregorio durign the event launch at the Centuy Park Hotel .

“Nakita nyo na po kanina sa ating video — from grassroots to the gold, from gold to greatness. That’s our national program.”