Nakahanda nang magpakitang gilas ang mga atletang pambato ng Cagayan Delegation para sa Cagayan Valley Regional Athletic Association (CAVRAA) Meet 2025 na gaganapin sa Santiago City sa Abril 23-27, 2025. Isinagawang send-off ceremony na pinangunahan ni Gob. Manuel N. Mamba sa Cagayan Sports Coliseum noong Abril 20. Aabot sa 782 athletes, coaches, trainers, at chaperons ang nakatakdang sumabak sa CAVRAA Meet 2025 kung saan bago ang send-off ay dumaan sa masusing pagsasanay upang matiyak ang pagdepensa sa bandera ng Cagayan sa naturang kompetisyon. Sa naging mensahe ni Gob. Mamba, binigyang-diin nito ang kahandaan ng Pamahalaang Panlalawigan ng Cagayan na maibigay ang lahat ng suportang kakailanganin ng mga kalahok sa CAVRAA Meet 2025. Aniya, nais nitong maibalik ng Lalawigan ng Cagayan ang titulo nito bilang “Cagayan Agga Number 1” kaya hinimok nito ang mga atleta na magkaisa at gawin ang lahat ng kanilang makakaya upang masungkit ang tagumpay sa naturang palaro. Dagdag pa rito, dapat aniyang isapuso ng mga atletang Cagayano ang diwa ng isports habang nakikipagkompetisyon sa ibang mga delegasyon at panatilihin ang disiplina at pakikipagkaibigan sa ibang mga manlalaro. Pinaalalahanan naman ni Clarita Lunas, Consultant on Education ng Pamahalaang Panlalawigan ng Cagayan ang lahat ng mga atleta na panatilihin ang malakas at malusog na pangangatawan habang sila ay nakikipagkompetisyon dahil ito aniya ang pinakamabisang paraan upang madepensahan ang bandera ng Cagayan. Kaugnay rito ay hinikayat din ni Lunas ang mga atleta na panatilihin ang maayos na samahan, ibuhos ang buong lakas, at baunin ang matibay na dedikasyon upang maiuwi ang kampeonato para sa CAVRAA MEET 2025. Samantala, aabot naman sa 15 bus ang naghatid sa Cagayan Delegation patungong Santiago City at kasama rin dito ang dalawang coaster ng Pamahalaang Panlalawigan ng Cagayan. Dumalo rin sa Send-off Ceremony sina Cagayan Schools Division Superintendent, Dr. Reynante Caliguiran at iba pang kinatawan ng Schools Division Office ng Cagayan, mga Department Heads, at Provincial Consultants ng Pamahalaang Panlalawigan ng Cagayan. By Gelo Maguddayao/Photo by Cagayan Tourism/Miles Mallonga

A TOTAL of 117 riders representing 17 teams—including four from overseas—hit the road on April 24 as the fabled Tour of Luzon returns with a “The Great Revival” edition in Paoay, Ilocos Norte. Shelved at least thrice since the Manila-Vigan inaugural race in 1956, the Tour of Luzon—presented by the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), DuckWorld PH and Cignal TV—will be all of eight stages traversing seven Northern and Central Luzon provinces with a mountain top finish inside Camp John Hay in Baguio City. “The legendary Tour of Luzon is back,” exclaimed Patrick “Patò” Gregorion, president of DuckWorld PH whose collaboration with MPTC, led by Chief Regulatory Officer Arrey Perez, resulted in the return of the Tour of Luzon last staged in 2019 via the international Le Tour de Filipinas. “The excitement has bordered from excitement to the extreme for once again, we’ll see the best of Philippine road cycling reliving the historic summer sports tradition,” said Perez, himself an active executive cyclist. Up for grabs in the PhilCycling-sanctioned race is a P1-million cash prize and a year’s possession of the Tour of Luzon perpetual trophy for the team champion and P500,000 and a uniquely-crafted trophy for the general individual classification winner. The eight stages cover a total of 1,074.90 kilometers starting with the 190.70-km Paoay-Paoay (via Pagudpud) Stage 1 on April 24, 68.39-km Paoay-Vigan team time trial Stage 2 on April 25, 130.33-km Vigan-San Juan (La Union) Stage 3 the next day, 162.97-km Agoo-Clark Stage 4, 166.65 Clark-Clark (via New Clark City and Tarlac) Stage 5, 168.19 Clark-Lingayen Stage 6 and 15.14-km individual time trial Labrador-Lingayen Stage 7 on April 30. Come May 1, the surviving cyclists will pedal 172.53 kms from Lingayen to a top-of-the-hill finish at the Scout Hill section inside Camp John Hay, the final queen stage that’s expected to determine who lifts the champions’ trophies in the race being staged through sports patron Manny V. Pangilinan’s MVP Group’s advocacy to promote sports in all disciplines and at all levels. “Besides bringing the Tour of Luzon back on the road, we are also reviving the prestigious ‘Eagle of the Mountain’ title which will go to whoever wins the punishing Stage 8,” Gregorio said. “It could all boil down to that final stage.” Kennon Road will again play a major role in determining the champion with an all uphill last 32 kms grind in the final stage with gradients that go beyond 20 percent. The Philippines’ four International Cycling Union (UCI) continental teams—7-Eleven Cliqq Roadbike Philippines, Standard Insurance Philippines, Go For Gold Philippines and Victoria Sports Pro Cycling Team—lead the cast of protagonists that include foreign squads CCN Factory HK from Hong Kong, Malaysia Pro Cycling, Bryton Racing Team from Taiwan and Gapyeong Cycling Team from South Korea. Rounding out the teams are the Philippines Under-23-Tom N Toms Coffee squad and top clubs Excellent Noodles, DReyna Orion Cement, Dandez T-Prime Cycling Team, Exodus Army, MPT Drive Hub Cycling Team, 1 Team Visayas, One Cycling Mindanao and Team Pangasinan.        

Isang bagong pangalan ang sumikat sa larangan ng pampalakasan matapos makamit ng Team Kata mula sa Cagayan Province ang gintong medalya sa National PRISAA 2025. Isinagawa ang paligsahan sa SM City Tuguegarao kung saan nagtagisan ng galing ang mga piling atleta mula sa iba’t ibang rehiyon ng bansa. Sa ilalim ng Karatedo ( Senior Division ), buong galing na ipinamalas sina Jay-mar Calagui, Christian Elizar Toledo at Amos Jian Mariano, ang kanilang husay at disiplina upang makamit ang pinakamataas na parangal. Buong pusong ipinagmamalaki ng buong Cagayan Valley ang kanyang tagumpay na nagsilbing inspirasyon sa kapwa kabataan ng rehiyon. Ang panalong ito ay hindi lamang tagumpay ng Team Kata, kundi pati na rin ng buong lalawigan ng Cagayan at ng buong Cagayan Valley region sa larangan ng pampalakasan.(Region Cagayan Valley Nationwide post)    

By Gelo Maguddayao   Nagpaabot ng mainit na pagtanggap at pagbati si Gob. Manuel N. Mamba sa lahat ng mga atleta at iba pang bisita na kasama Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) Meet 2025. Ito ay kasabay ng grand opening ng PRISAA 2025 noong Sabado, Abril 5 sa Cagayan Sports Complex, Tuguegarao City. Sa naging mensahe ni Mamba, ipinunto nito ang kahalagahan ng pagbubuklod, pagkakaisa, at disiplina upang maipanalo ang kompetisyon at makamit ang karangalang hinahangad para sa bayan. “Napakaimportante po ang pagkakaisa, napakaimportante po ang pagbubuklod-buklod, at nakapaimportante po ang kompetisyon, at the end of the day we compete for what is best for our people, what is best for our children, and what is best for the future of our land, for our province and of course our country,” pahayag ni Gob. Mamba. Aniya, matagal na panahon ang inilaan ng pamunuaan ng PRISAA katuwang ang Pamahalaang Panlalawigan ng Cagayan at Pamahalaang Panlungsod ng Tuguegarao upang maisakatuparan ang tagumpay ng palaro. Gayonman, umaasa si Gob. Mamba na magiging makabuluhan ang pamamalagi ng mga atleta at mga bisita sa Tuguegarao City hanggang sa matapos ang kompetisyon. Samantala, hinimok naman ni Dr. Esther Susan Perez-Mari ang lahat ng delegasyon na pagbutihin ang kanilang pakikipagkompetisyon sa mga kapwa manlalaro sa pamamagitan ng pagsasakatuparan sa tunay na diwa ng isports. Aniya, hindi siya makapaniwala na ngayon ay tuluyan ng maisasakatuparan ang pangarap ng kanyang ama na si dating UCV President Dr. Victor Perez at ni Gob. Mamba na maidaos ang makasaysayang PRISAA Meet 2025 sa lalawigan. “The fact that this event was cancelled three times, yet we kept on trying. This is a testament to the resilience and persistece, both of which are values that an athlete needs to have in order to succeed. After a lot of hard work, we are finally here and I firmly believe that the preparations for this national game was a unifying factor for many,” pahayag nito. Samantala, naging panahuhing pandangal naman sa naturang palaro sina Sen. Imee Marcos at Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go bilang Chairman ng Committee on Sports and Youth kung saan nangako ito na susuportahan ang lahat ng mga manlalarong pinoy sa bansa at mas pagtitibayin ang pagsusulong ng mga batas at programang tutugon sa pangangailangan ng mga manlalaro para mas makilala pa ang bansa sa iba’t ibang larangan at entablado ng palakasan sa buong mundo. Dumalo rin sa pagbubukas ng PRISAA 2025 si Tuguegarao City Mayor Maila Ting-Que, mga opisyal ng National PRISAA Board of Trustees, mga Regional PRISAA Presidents, mga department, at unit heads ng LGU, at iba pa. Magtatagal ang PRISAA Meet 2025 hanggang sa darating na Biyernes, Abril 11, 2025.      

By Pigeon Lobien It is a go for the family of the late Dr. Charles Hamada who will hold the second run in his honor to benefit Baguio media on May 1. The run honoring the late publisher and general of the Baguio Midland Courier will have three categories – 3 kilometer, 5K and 10 K, said daughter Gabrielle Hamada. Registration for the 3K category of the Dr. Charles Hamada Memorial Run is PhP300, PhP400 for the 5K and PhP500 for the longest category. Onsite registration is at Laperal building until April 26, the family added. Registrants can get a shirt and race bib. The race starts at Burnham Park Igorot Park to Kisad, the Military Cut-off where participants in the 3K will have the frontage of the Kubong Sawali as turning point. The 5 K and 10K runners proceed to the Camp John Hay former Gate 1, beside the Panagbenga Park where the former group takes a U-turn and back to the starting line. The 10 K runners proceed to the Pacdal Circle via South Drive and back to where they started. Assembly time is 4AM, while gun starts at 430 for the 10K runners, 5AM for the 5K runners and 530AM for the 3K participants, said race director Che Alberto. Hamada died in Jan 8, 2016 and his family staged the first run in May 1, 2019 before the pandemic, where the local media as beneficiaries.

By Pigeon Lobien   The boys of summer will start the race in Laoag City, then go down as far as the Clark then to Lingayen, Pangasinan before the killer Baguio City last lap and will end at the Camp John Hay, in the nine leg, 1,030 kilometer Tour of Luzon makes its return on April 24 and ends on May 1. The MVP led group launched, one of the country’s most beloved sporting events, last March 7 at the Meralco in Manila, said Gregorio. The nine leg spectacle is expected to start in New Clark City en route to Baguio where it will culminate at Camp John Hay, announced Gregorio during a press conference at the John Hay Hotel Saturday. The Tour will be a joint project of the MVP Group of Companies and the Bases Conversion Development Authority, thus the start and finish. Expectedly, a king of the mountain will be named anew as well as sprint king. Former University of the Philippines basketball coach Allan Gregorio will be its race director as a La Union to Baguio leg is expected to be the premier leg. The Le Tour de Pilipinas and Ronda Pilipinas are two of the major cycling events after the Tour of Philippines presented by Marlboro. The Tour is organized by Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) and DuckWorld PH of the MVP Group. It is expected to be a battle for pride ,honor and title will be on the 8th and final stage with mountain specialists have great advantage . The final stage starts in the coastal town of Lingayen, Pangasinan en route to the back-breaking climb to the Summer Capital- with elevation of 5,050 feet above sea level. Critical on the final stage, a 25-km punishing yet scenic Kennon Road to the finish line at the cool and lush greenery Scout Hill area in Camp John Hay (CJH). The winning team will walk home with the PhP1 million cash prize plus a perpetual trophy, and P500k for the individual titlist. The race, designed by PhilCycling , expects some 20 teams of about 200 riders will cover more than one thousand kilometers and will pass through seven provinces. The race was officially announced during the recent press conference attended by the major organizers of the race including Philippine Olympic Committee and PhilCycling president Abraham Tolentino, Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation Regulatory Officer Arrey Perez, Chairman and CEO of DuckWorld PH Patrick Gregorio, and Race Commissaire for Tour of Luzon Jun Lomibao. Race details April 24- Stage 1, Laoag City (Ilocos Norte), a 170-km out-and-back route via Pagudpud; April 25 -Stage 2, Laoag City, Laoag City to Vigan City, a 80-km Team Time Trial (TTT); April 26 -Stage 3, a 150-km criterium race from Vigan City to Agoo, La Union; April 27-Stage 4 , a 150-km race from Agoo to Clark, Pampanga. Riders will stay in Clark for two days for Stage 5 – a Clark-to-Clark 120-km road race on April 28 where cyclists will make the turn at New Clark City via SCTEX – and Stage 6. On April 29 -Stage 7, a 150-km road race from Clark to Lingayen on April 29 ; April 30 -Stage 8 will be a 30-km Individual Time Trial (ITT) in Lingayen City. The ‘Tour’ ends with a 180-km road race from Lingayen to Baguio City’s Camp John Hay via Kennon Road where the champions will be declared. Topping the list of participating teams are—Navy-Standard Insurance PH, 7-Eleven Roadbike PH, Dandex Multi-Sports Go-For-Gold, Victoria Cycling Team, Excellent Noodles, D’Reyna, MPT Drivehub, Phil. Army, and also some provincial teams. ASEAN riders from Indonesia, Vietnam ,Thailand and Singapore are also listed. For the record, ‘Tour of Luzon’ traces its history back in 1955 with the Manila to Vigan race. Later, recognized by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) , the world governing body of cycling. Cyclists like Jose Sumalde, Cornelio Padilla and Domingo Quilban, among others became hometown and national figures. Years later became Marlboro Tour, with some editions recognized by UCI. Among the revered riders are Manuel Reynante, Paquito Rivas, Rolando Pagnanawon, among others ,who emerged champions and sustained the Tour’s gem, conquering dust and rugged roads. For this 2025 summer on the wheels, thousands of spectators-young and old, once again brave the soaring summer heat – some will even climb trees to watch and witness their local heroes pedal for flag, country and the ultimate victory.    

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) reaffirmed its support for the families of fallen military personnel at the 8th HERO Golf Cup 2025: Golf for a Cause for the Children of Fallen Soldiers. Organized by the HERO Foundation, Inc. (HFI), this annual charity event raises funds to provide educational assistance to the children of military troops who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. Now in its fourth year of supporting HFI, BCDA remains committed to honoring the legacy of the nation’s heroes by helping secure the educational future of their children. “BCDA stands in solidarity with the families of our fallen soldiers. By supporting their children’s education, we honor the sacrifices of our troops and help build a brighter future for their loved ones,” said BCDA Vice President for Investment Promotions and Marketing Erwin Kenneth R. Peralta. “Education is a lasting tribute to their heroism, and we are proud to be part of this cause.” HFI President Gen. Emmanuel Bautista AFP (Ret) expressed his appreciation for partners during the ceremonial tee off.  “We thank [BCDA President and CEO] Jake Bingcang and the rest of BCDA for their assistance. The unwavering support of our partners ensures that we can sustain our mission of helping these children achieve their dreams. Our fallen soldiers have given their lives for our nation, and it is our duty to stand by their families.  On behalf of our scholars, maraming salamat sa inyong lahat,” said Gen. Bautista. The turnover ceremony for the donation was attended by Gen. Bautista, Peralta, HFI Ex-Officio Member Gen. Noel Clement AFP (Ret), HFI Executive Director MGen. Victor Bayani AFP (Ret), Camp Aguinaldo Golf Course General Manager Cdr Noel Stephen Marzan PN (MNSA), and BCDA Head of CSR & Stakeholder Relations-Public Affairs Department Maricar Villamil. The Help Educate and Rear Orphans (HERO) Foundation is a key partner of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in ensuring that the children of military personnel who were killed or incapacitated in the line of duty have access to quality education and opportunities for a better future. To date, HFI already has a total of 2,756 scholars which includes 1,261 college graduates and its current 232 scholars.  

By Aileen P. Refuerzo   The newly rehabilitated Baguio Tennis Court will be inaugurated soon. Engr. Albert Pay-an of the City Buildings and Architecture Office (CBAO) said civil works and finishings are being fast tracked in time for the target date of completion this April. Final touches include landscaping to spruce up the surroundings currently being undertaken by the City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO) team. Pay-an said the newly rehabilitated sports facility will have three international-standard ball courts. He said the construction followed the specifications that are certified by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) so that the city may now host international and national tennis tournaments. The courts are located at the main floor along with the bleachers with amenities such as separate locker rooms for male and female players, comfort room and a restaurant. The rooftop will house one court for pickleball while the basement will offer parking amenities which will be equipped with sensors.