AFTER landing 3rd place in Batang Pinoy 2025, Davao City Sports Division targets to claim top place in 2026.
To note, Davao City placed third overall in the Batang Pinoy 2025 National Games held in General Santos City from Oct. 25 to 31, 2025.
During an interview with Madayaw Davao on Friday, Mikey Aportadera, Davao City’s acting sports head, said he is meeting the coaches as early as December for a year-long preparation.
“Syempre going up. It’s either we go for the second place or the top place,” Aportadera said, noting the city landed one place higher than fourth place last year.
In the final medal tally, Davao City gained 53 gold, 53 silver, and 68 bronze, totaling 174 medals.
Meanwhile, Pasig City, which placed 1st, got 95 gold, 72 silver, and 87 bronze, totaling 254; while Baguio City, which placed 2nd, got 91 gold, 72 silver, and 74 bronze.
Davao City bested Quezon City, which gained 153 medals, and Manila City, with 112 medals.
Aportadera said archery and gymnastics athletes dominated and brought home gold medals.
“These are the new sports that we are still developing, and this year they brought home gold,” he added.
In an earlier interview with the Davao Sportswriters Association, he vowed to address venue and equipment issues for these sports developments.
The athletes are products of Aktibo Dabawenyo programs, where the office visits public schools and provides training from trainers and gold medalists in the past.
“We give the kids an avenue to train in their respective sports and an opportunity to represent the city,” he said.
At present, the office focuses on training the public school students, but encourages the barangay to present their homegrown athletes, especially the out-of-school youth.
