ALL the venues that will be used in the coming 65th Palarong Pambansa 2025 are ready as issues concerning the condition of the facilities that will hold the centerpiece events like athletics and swimming have been addressed.
Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richard Bachmann said this after attending the final technical meeting of the games in Laoag City.
“It’s all final. In the last meeting, all the issues have been fixed and discussed. We had a look at opening parade and the venues. They’re all ready,” said Bachmann.
Technical officials recently made a last ocular viewing of the facilities, ahead of the opening set on May 24.
So far, officials of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association made sure that the Ferdinand E. Marcos Memorial Stadium in Laoag, Ilocos Norte will be ready for the athletics events.
Organizers are seeking to avoid mistakes in last year’s edition of the Palaro at the Cebu City Sports Complex track stadium, which did not meet international standards at the time.
It will be the first time in 57 years that Ilocos Norte will host the Palaro, set from May 24 to 31.
The games will feature 24 regular sports, with events like athletics, basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, taekwondo, and swimming taking centerstage.
Two demonstration and five exhibition matches are also part of the program, including the Olympic sport of weightlifting, while four sports fall under the para sports category, including para-athletics, para-swimming, bocce, and goalball.
In a celebration of Filipino heritage, the games will also include Palaro ng Lahi—a showcase of traditional games to promote cultural preservation among the youth.
A total of 1,777 medals will be awarded in this year’s Palaro, which carries the theme, “Nagkakaisang Kapuluan”.