ORMOC CITY — Ormoc City is being eyed to host the 2027 Batang Pinoy National Championships as the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) pushes to bring more national sporting events outside Metro Manila, its chairman said on Tuesday, August 4.
PSC Chairman John Patrick Gregorio said the city’s growing sports infrastructure makes it a strong candidate to stage the country’s premier grassroots sports competition.
Gregorio floated the proposal to Leyte 4th District Representative Richard Gomez and Ormoc Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez, adding that the PSC is prepared to extend financial assistance should the city secure the hosting rights.
“We want more national competitions to be held in the provinces so young athletes can compete at a high level without always traveling to Metro Manila,” Gregorio said during the Eastern Visayas Sports and Youth Summit.
He said many of the country’s top athletes come from the provinces, underscoring the need to continue investing in grassroots sports and regional athletic development.
Gomez, for his part, said Ormoc is working toward becoming Eastern Visayas’ sports hub through continued investments in sports facilities.
He added that a P110-million track-and-field facility at the Ormoc City Sports Complex in Barangay Juaton is expected to be completed by the latter part of 2027.
Since 2022, about P2 billion in national and local government funding has been invested in the sports complex, which now includes a badminton center, padel courts, a skateboard park, a convention center and other sports facilities.
Mayor Torres-Gomez said Ormoc’s sports development efforts aim to inspire other local governments to strengthen their own grassroots programs.
She encouraged local officials to invest in young athletes even if their sports facilities are still being developed, saying communities should not wait for ideal conditions before supporting grassroots sports.
The city government said its sports development program began in 2016 by providing quality athletic shoes to members of Ormoc’s delegation to the Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association Meet. Since then, the city has won the overall EVRAA championship for seven straight years, according to the Ormoc City Sports Office.
The Eastern Visayas Sports and Youth Summit, held from Aug. 4 to 5, brought together youth delegates, sports officials and education leaders from across the region to discuss ways to strengthen grassroots sports development and regional collaboration.
