Tabuk City, Kalinga - After the 2025 Kalinga Provincial Meet, originally scheduled in November, was postponed to December 10-13 due to the onslaught of Typhoon Uwan, another postponement was made this week, which moved the date to December 16-19 to allow the municipalities and the host town, Pinukpuk to adjust with the various unfortunate events that happened in their areas.
“Tuloy met lang ti sportfest dagiti atleta tayo. I know we will all be ready… kailangan tayo lang ti bassit nga leeway to adjust kadagiti napaspasamak,” said Kalinga Provincial Administrator Teddy Gullay during the Kapehan meeting at the Provincial Capitol on December 1, 2025.
In a conversation with the Municipal Information Officer of Pinukpuk LGU, Hilaria Balagso, she mentioned of the rescheduling, saying it was requested by the host municipality that the sporting event be moved to December 16-19.
It can be recalled that Pinukpuk was one of the municipalities that suffered landslides in the wake of Super Typhoon Uwan. A week later, the town experienced a series of gun battle that lasted five days with at least six encounters between the CPP-NPA and the Philippine Army, which resulted in the killing of one rebel and injury of one soldier.
Meantime, Department of Education-Kalinga Sports Program Focal Person Silverio Tawatao reported that over 3,000 delegations are expected to participate in the 2025 Provincial Athletic Meet Phase 2. It is phase II because the the province already had its provincial meet earlier this year in January. The changes in the school calendar resulted in the holding of the provincial sporting event in the last quarter of the year.
In his talk, Tawatao said there is a screening of the athletes’ documents and an interview first, which is now being conducted until December 6 at MHotel in Barangay Appas, Tabuk City, to ensure fairness and compliance with DepEd guidelines.
According to Tawatao, a total of 3,091 participants comprising athletes, honorary, board management, and technical officials will be joining the event. Of which, Pinukpuk has 513 delegates, Rizal has 473, Balbalan has 430, Tinglayan has 364, Tanudan has 351, Pasil has 350, and Lubuagan has 260. The honorary board management and technical officials have a total of 350.
Phase II of this year’s provincial meet will feature athletics, basketball, volleyball, swimming, gymnastics, badminton, table tennis, sepak takraw, baseball, football, billiards, dance sports, archery, arnis, pencak silat, wushu, chess, and various combative sports, among others.
Tawatao also announced that weightlifting, muay thai, and futsal have been incorporated into the provincial meet in preparation for their potential inclusion in the upcoming Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association (CARAA) Meet.
These contests will be conducted in different playing venues in Pinukpuk, while others, like swimming, will take place in Dagupan, Tabuk City.
Regarding the choice of athletes who will represent the province in the CARAA, the Sports Focal Person clarified that they will be chosen according to the outcomes of the deliberations of the Provincial Sports Council (PSC).
“After the provincial meet, the PSC shall deliberate on who will participate in the CARAA. Meaning to say, not all winners shall participate in the CARAA. It depends upon the deliberation result. Of course, it will be based on the standards provided by the PALARO and, of course, also on the monitoring of the PSC on the potential of our athletes,” added Tawatao.
Alongside the provincial meet, the DepEd official shared that there will also be an evaluation of playing venues and billeting schools, recognizing those with the cleanest, most eco-friendly, and most disciplined delegations and accommodations.
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