From FOUR to 22 GOLD MEDALS: DepEd Kalinga attributes improved performance at 2026 CARAA to collective efforts of PLGU and stakeholders

Tabuk City, Kalinga – The Province of Kalinga finished as 5th runner-up in the 2026 Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association (CARAA) Meet held in Benguet from February 22–27, where its student-athletes demonstrated remarkable progress with a total haul of 22 gold medals.

The delegation collected 111 medals overall—22 gold, 27 silver, and 62 bronze. This marks a significant improvement from the 4 gold, 25 silver, and 44 bronze medals the province earned in CARAA 2025.

Schools Division Superintendent Gloria Buya-ao credited this year’s major performance improvement to the unwavering support of the Provincial Local Government Unit (PLGU) headed by Governor James Edduba, as well as the Municipal LGUs, Barangay LGUs, and other stakeholders who backed the young athletes from lower-level competitions up to the CARAA Meet.

“Thank you to all our MLGUs, BLGUs, and of course to our PLGU headed by our provincial governor for the collective support that enabled our athletes to perform and compete with the rest in the CARAA,” she said in an interview with GURU Press Cordillera.

With the results, Buya-ao said they are looking to further enhance the athletes’ training programs, noting that those who trained longer performed better in the competition.

“We have seen the results, and I hope we can build on this momentum and continue improving how we train our athletes. As observed, those who trained longer performed better compared to those who had only 10 days of training. That is why we would like to strengthen the training aspect, especially in our schools, by reinforcing school sports clubs and sustaining the support from our LGUs,” she expressed.

The Schools Division Superintendent likewise acknowledged the hard work of the coaches, technical officials, food preparation teams, medics, and the Philippine National Police personnel who provided security, among others. She also expressed her appreciation to all the athletes who trained hard and competed with dedication to represent Kalinga to the best of their abilities.

“To the athletes who competed this year, we would like to say thank you for giving your best for Kalinga, and congratulations. Even to those who did not win, our collective efforts have truly paid off, and we have seen significant improvement this year,” Buya-ao conveyed.