By REYNALD MAGALLON
Excitement continues to build up ahead of what is promising to be the biggest edition yet of the Batang Pinoy 2025 set at the “Boom City of the South”, General Santos City, from Oct. 25 to 31.
The Philippine Sports Commission, which is at the forefront of the preparations for the grandest national grassroots event, led the buildup for the week-long festivities during the Press Launch event at the Century Park Hotel in Manila where event mascots Oyo and Aya were introduced.
No less than PSC chairman Patrick ‘Pato’ Gregorio graced the event along with Batang Pinoy 2025 project director Bong Coo and other commissioners Edward Hayco, Walter Torres, and Fritz Gaston.
“We welcome you to what’s shaping up to be the biggest and most exciting edition of the Philippine Youth Games,” said Coo in her opening remarks. “We are more than ready and PSC will take charge.”
According to Coo, this year’s Batang Pinoy will have a total of 19,075 athletes and 4,397 coaches from 101 local government units who will battle through 27 sports which will be facilitated by 1,241 officials.
Gregorio highlighted the big role of the Batang Pinoy as part of the national sports program especially for the grassroots.
And to further underline that, the PSC chief 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 will be up for grabs 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.
“Nakita nyo na po kanina sa ating video — from grassroots to the gold, from gold to greatness. That’s our national program. This is the biggest Batang Pinoy edition.”
