ILOILO CITY — The trophies are home. On March 24, 2026, the Department of Education Schools Division of Iloilo presented championship trophies to the province's municipal mayors, sealing a performance that left no doubt about which province dominates Western Visayas sports. Competing against seven other delegations at the week-long Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association Meet in Passi City, the Ilonggo athletes brought home a staggering 259 gold medals—111 in secondary competition, 96 at the elementary level, and 52 in the paragames. It was not merely a victory. It was a statement.
DepEd Iloilo Schools Division OIC‑Superintendent Dr. Ruby Therese Almencion led the trophy presentation at the Casa Real de Iloilo, joined by Assistant Division Superintendents Dr. Marlon Destreza and Maria Lunie Sampani, and Chief Education Supervisor Gilbert Solidum. The ceremony marked the formal recognition of an athletic campaign that swept every category: elementary, secondary, and paragames. For Iloilo, which had already established itself as a regional sports powerhouse, the 2026 performance reaffirmed that the province's athletic pipeline is not merely deep—it is dominant across every division and every discipline the meet offered.
A Provincial Investment That Pays Dividends in Gold
Behind the medal count lies a deliberate, multi‑year commitment to sports as an integral component of education. Governor Arthur Defensor Jr., who confirmed that all medalists would receive cash incentives under Provincial Ordinance No. 2020‑217, framed the victory in terms that extended beyond the podium. "Thank you very much for a job well done. But again, more than the winning, WVRAA and sports is part of a comprehensive education system naton, ang Bulig Eskwela sa Pagbasa Program," Defensor said. "We are investing resources and time sa sports because it completes the development of our learners."
That investment translates into tangible rewards for the athletes who delivered. Under the provincial ordinance, gold medalists receive PHP5,000, silver medalists PHP3,000, and bronze medalists PHP2,000. Coaches receive identical amounts, while assistant coaches, trainers, and chaperones are compensated on a graduated scale. The structure ensures that the entire support ecosystem—from the athlete on the track to the trainer on the sidelines—is recognized for the collective effort that produces 259 gold medals. For a province that also invests heavily in education infrastructure, healthcare, and socialized housing, the sports incentives are not a standalone program but one thread in a broader governance philosophy that treats human development as the foundation of provincial progress.
The Towns That Fueled the Fire
Iloilo's dominance was not the work of a single municipality. Barotac Nuevo, long regarded as the football capital of the region, powered the province's campaign with a multi‑gold haul. Barotac Nuevo National Comprehensive High School captured gold in secondary girls' football, while Barotac Nuevo Central Elementary School ruled the elementary boys' category. The momentum spilled into futsal, where BNNCHS clinched gold in secondary girls' play and Tubungan Elementary School added another title in elementary girls'.
Barotac Nuevo's para‑athletes delivered some of the meet's most inspiring performances. Aizha Coleen Buenavides of BNNCHS claimed gold in running long jump and the 4×100‑meter relay, while Erica Silvestre dominated with gold medals in shot put, running long jump, and the relay. In goalball, Princess Alexa Nicole Infante, Shane Fernandez, and Rhoda Marie Tamares each captured gold. Mayor BP Biron credited the athletes' success to the strong support system behind them—coaches, teachers, parents, and stakeholders—and confirmed that the local government is preparing additional incentives for the medalists.
Lambunao also contributed to the gold rush. Rhea Mae Lares of Lambunao National High School claimed gold in wrestling in the 48‑kilogram division. The municipality's para‑athletes added silver medals across multiple events: Melvin Mallo Jr. in paragames athletics shot put and 100‑meter dash for the visually impaired, Joshua Lobia and Robert Solinap in goalball, and Aiyesza Claire Lauron in taekwondo freestyle poomsae. The Lambunao LGU, through its Sports Development and Management Office, formally recognized the athletes during a flag‑raising ceremony on March 30, with Vice Mayor Arvin Losaria personally handing out certificates of recognition.
The SDO Iloilo also dominated the WVRAA DepEd Basketball League, completing a sweep that extended the province's supremacy beyond the traditional athletics and swimming events. The Iloilo Giants finished as overall champion, followed by Urban Blaze of SDO Iloilo City as first runner‑up and Mighty Maroons of SDO Aklan as second runner‑up. In every division—elementary, secondary, and paragames—the Giants stood atop the podium.
From Passi City to the Palarong Pambansa
The 2026 WVRAA Meet, held from March 17 to 22, gathered nearly 7,000 athletes, coaches, and officials from across Western Visayas at the Ricardo P. Palmares Sr. Memorial Sports Complex in Passi City. The host city, which has publicly declared its ambition to host the Palarong Pambansa by 2028, provided the stage on which Iloilo's athletes demonstrated why they remain the region's gold standard. The competition featured 16 events in the elementary division and 25 in the secondary division, including girls' futsal, football, and weightlifting across both genders.
For the gold medalists, the journey does not end in Passi City. The WVRAA Meet serves as the qualifying gateway to the Palarong Pambansa, where the country's best young athletes compete for national honors—and where gold medalists can earn PHP30,000 per gold under the national incentive structure. For now, however, the Ilonggo delegation can savor a regional campaign that delivered 259 gold medals, three division championships, and a reaffirmation that Iloilo's investment in its youth—on the field, in the classroom, and in the community—continues to produce returns no spreadsheet can fully capture.
