By MARK REY MONTEJO
LAOAG CITY – A big fan of rising star Eldrew Yulo and five track and field bets put on inspiring shows to highlight another eventful day at the 2025 Palarong Pambansa at the Ferdinand E. Marcos Memorial Stadium here.
NCR gymnast Arman Hernandez Jr. was a joy to watch in the artistic gymnastics as he dazzled in each routine at the crowded INNHS Gymnasium last Monday, May 26, to become the Games’ early darling with five gold medals while records fell in athletics – the including one that stood for 27 years.
Despite starting the sport just a year ago, the eight-year-old Hernandez stamped his class in the floor exercise, vault, and horizontal bar apparatuses, and individual and team all-around events. He missed a 6th gold as he settled for bronze in pommel horse.
“Training lang po araw-araw [and] iniaalay ko po ‘tong panalo ko kila mama’t papa,” said an incoming 4 student at Don Carlos Village Elementary School. “Talagang pinaghandaan ko po ‘to.”
He was destined to make it big here after winning a silver in last year’s Batang Pinoy.
“Pangarap ko din pong mag-Olympics balang araw, and idol ko po si kuya Eldrew, nakakasama ko po sya sa training sa Intramuros,” added
Hernandez, a proud son of an OFW dad in Canada and a food vendor mom.
He hopes to end his campaign with another medal in a team event.
His five-gold haul propelled NCR to the top of the overall standings with 16 golds, 10 silvers and three bronzes followed by CALABARZON (12g, 13s, 7b) and Western Visayas (7g, 5s, 7b) at second and third. Northern Mindanao (4g, 9s, 11b) and Cordillera (4g, 4s, 1b) completed the current Top Five regions as of Tuesday afternoon.
Aside from Hernandez, there are other double gold medalists in Region VI’s Melchor Bataican III (elem boys arnis), Region IV-A woodpushers Jemaicah Mendoza and Mar Aviel Carredo (secondary girls chess), NCR’s King Cjay Pernia (secondary boys gymnastics), NCR’s John Paul Soriano (secondary boys taekwondo), CAR’s Zion Buenviaje (elem girls taekwondo) and Chezka Luzadas (secondary girls taekwondo)
In the secondary boys athletics on Tuesday, Central Visayas’ Jhul Ian Cañalita led the historic act in this year’s Palaro as he shattered the 27-year feat of SMRAA’s Cresencio Cabal (15:38.4) in 5000-meter run after crossing the line in 15 minutes and 16.31 seconds to clinch the gold.
On the other hand, Western Visayas’ Mico Villaran proved his Cebu stint was no fluke, clocking 14 seconds to best the 110-m hurdles time of NCR’s Patrick Unso (14.68sec), son of legendary trackster Renato, in 2010 Tarlac edition.
Central Luzon’s Alfred Talplacido (48.10sec) and Western Visayas’ Josh Salcedo (45.52m) also put their name in the history books after outshining 2014 400-m run and 2023 discus throw records of Jomar Udtohan (48.7sec) and WVRAA’s Airex Villanueva (42.86m), respectively.
In elementary boys, NCR’s Cris Domingo reigned supreme in 400m run by registering 54.29 seconds which surpassed WMRAA’s Sahipa Bassal’s time of 54.30sec in 1998 Bacolod.
In secondary boys football, SOCCSKSARGEN remained red-hot as it dismantled Eastern Visayas, 5-1.
Jake Into spearheadedRegion XIl’s second-half flurry with another fine showing that gave them a 2-0 record in Group C.
Other winners were Central Luzon (1-1), Western Visayas (1-1), and Central Visayas (1-1).
