Education Secretary Sonny Angara gave credit to Tokyo Olympics’ gold medallist Hidilyn Diaz for the inclusion of weightlifting as a demonstration sport in the coming 2025 Palarong Pambansa.
It was Diaz, a four-time Olympian, who convinced Angara to add the sport in the Palaro’s calendar of events.
“In the coming Palarong Pambansa, we will have weightlifting for the first time, with no less than Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz as our resource person. Ma-suwerte po ang ating mga learner-athletes. It is your chance to try out these sports,” said Angara in a statement.
Angara, who is also chairman of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, was in Benguet last week at the opening ceremony of the 2025 Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association (CARAA) Sports Meet.
While weightlifting will debut as a demo event, pole vault for secondary girls will be a regular event in athletics, together with pencak silat, following its introduction in 2017.
Diaz was at the CARAA meet with Angara.
“I have long hoped for my sport to once again be part of the biggest national sporting event for student-athletes in the Philippines. Now, it’s finally happening. Maraming salamat sa tulong at suporta mula kay Department of Education Sec. Sonny Angara, sa Palarong Pambansa Board, at sa Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas (SWP),” Diaz said.
Angara got ideas on how to to expand the Palaro calendar when he met with Diaz and world No. 4 pole vaulter EJ Obiena on separate occasions last year, when the education secretary was exploring the possibility of including their events in the Palaro.
Kickboxing will also be featured as an exhibition sport in Angara’s bid to help diversify the events played in the games.
The Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte, led by Gov. Matthew Manotoc, along with DepEd-Region I and the Schools Division Office of Ilocos Norte, is hosting the 65th Palarong Pambansa.
Some 15,000 participants from 18 delegations, including the National Academy of Sports, will gather for the games, tentatively scheduled from May 24 to June 2.