PHILIPPINE Sports Commission Chairman Richard Bachmann announced last Friday the return of the Batang Pinoy and Philippine National Games on Dec. 17 to 22 this year.
In a press conference at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Bachmann said that “going around the provinces and all the sports events, we owe it to all the kids and the athletes to give them a good platform to perform in all sports. That’s one way the PSC can help, to give them that international-level of hosting from the logo to the branding. We want to put premium on our grassroots sports programs.”
The two events will be held simultaneously in Pasig City and Manila and will feature 20 disciplines — archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, basketball 3×3, boxing, chess, cycling, dancesport, esports, gymnastics, karatedo, lawn tennis, sepak takraw, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, beach volleyball, weightlifting and wushu.
Like in previous editions of the PNG, competing athletes will be 18 years old and above while the Batang Pinoy will introduce a new age group of 17 years old and below. Specific sub-groupings of age will be on a per sport basis.
Bachmann, who was joined in the media briefing by newly-appointed PSC Executive Director Paulo Francisco Tatad, also unveiled the new logos for the BP and PNG, focusing on the colors and traditional icons of the flag, while adding elements that highlight the essence of grassroots sports talents.
The PSC will hold the events in partnership with the Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Education, Philippine Olympic Committee and 20 national sports associations.
The PNG is the country’s centerpiece sports program through Executive Order No. 163 in 1994 while the Batang Pinoy, formerly known as the Philippine Youth Games, was created through Executive Order No. 44 in 19985
