16/11/2025
โ๐ฝ๐๐๐ค๐ก๐, ๐๐๐ ๐ฟ๐ง๐๐๐ข๐จ ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ก๐! ๐ข๐ฟ๐บ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป๐ผ๐ป ๐๐๐ต๐น๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ด ๐ฃ๐ถ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑ
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โBeneath the southern sun and amidst a thousand cheers, Ormoc youth athletes stepped into unfamiliar ground with familiar determination.
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โGeneral Santos Cityโfrom October 25 to 31, 2025, the Home of Champions lived up to its name as the country's best young athletes participated in the Batang Pinoy 2025 National Youth Games. Ormoc athletes stood in the middle of it all, leaving their marks of gold, silver, bronze, and sweat.
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โThe opening day was no less than star-studded. Manny Pacquiao donned his smile, Hidilyn Diaz recited words of inspiration, and Elisha Baquial gave honors as they all lit the ceremonial cauldron, igniting the games with vigor and national pride.
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โHere is where every rise of dreams is born, and the City of Ormoc, just like any, held countless wishesโhoping to come true. And indeed, they did.
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โWith 16 golds, 13 silvers, and 17 bronzes, the City of Ormoc amassed a total of 46 medals, ranking 15th place among 159 LGUs. That's 46 stories of sweat and grit and sweet redemption all told through seconds, points, and meters.
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โNone were given for free. Each medal rested on a podium surrounded by 5 AM wake up calls, sore muscles, and prayers whispered before each referee's signal. From the strike of punches to the thud of rubber soles, every sound carried a tale.
โMarjune Sampaga, who competed in the Boxing Junior Boys 46โ48kg Category, shared how strenuous the preparation had been especially cutting weight just to qualify. He talked about the discipline it took to follow a strict diet and train under the scorching sun every day.
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โโAng naa ra gyud sa akong huna-huna that time kay makagold unta ta. Pero pag-abot namo didto, lisod gyud kuhaon akong timbang. Pero tungod kay gusto gyud ko makaduwa, buntag, udto, hapun gyud ko nag-training, nagbinu-wad koโs init para lang gyud maabot akong timbang. Thanks to God nga gitagaan ko Niyaโg kusog ug protection, nga walay nahitabo nga aksidente sa akong pag lose weight,โ he shared.
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โThough he fell short of gold, he took pride in the experience, having faced the previous Batang Pinoy gold medalist now the 2025 Palaro silver medalist.
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โOn the pads, Ormocโs combat and artistic performers blazed with precision and passion, their strikes and rhythms burning with the same fire. Jannah Canque and Jane Zoilo of OCSHS stepped with passion, representing the art of Pencak Silat. When asked what quote stuck with them all throughout the Batang Pinoy, Canque shared โI mightโve gone far, but I will never forget why I started and where I came from. Not just to win, but to grow.โ
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โAlthough they were not able to advance far in the competition, this mindset keeps them groundedโreminding them to stay true to their roots, focus on personal growth, and value the journey more than the medals.
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โOn the courts, volleyballs and basketballs cracked like thunder, echoing the fierce energy of competition. Among the athletes who gave their all stood our very own OCSHS 3x3 Basketball TeamโDirk Villaceran, Dioscoro Goya and Margarito Palacioโfighting with grit, teamwork, and undeniable pride. Every pass, every rebound, every shot carried the weight of their dreams and the spirit of Ormocanons who play not just to win, but to represent their school and Ormoc on a national stage with heart.
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โIn the pool, where swimmers fought with every current, Ormoc's spirit refused to sink. Among them is our very own OCSHS students Denise Mariae Estrera and Vince Matthew Yap who both made waves in more ways than one. Denise earned a second place finish in the 200m Butterfly (16-17 years old category) while Vince held his own in his respective events, showing the same heart and determination.
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โThey both shared how nerve-wracking it was to step onto the starting block, surrounded by the countryโs best swimmers. But Denise kept her focusโ her pride, honor, and faith in God anchoring her amid the cheers and pressure. Vince echoed the same resolve, saying, โBefore the game, nag-huna-huna na ko unsaon nako pag-swim sa akong specific events. Then after that, ang ako gihuna-huna kay, โbahalag di makamedal basta makabreak sa akong time.โโ
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โVictory brought smiles and narrow defeat brought tears that hurt but taught. Because here, even loss counted as one medal of experience.
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โEach athlete fought their own personal battles: some against an opponent, some from self doubt, some from exhaustion. For many, the plain act of competing in Batang Pinoy as a representative for the home city already equalled victory.
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โWhen the closing ceremony lights dimmed and the last fireworks exploded in the sky, what remained wasnโt just the scoreboard, it was pride, gratitude, shared smiles, and the promise that there will be more dreams that'll come true from the City of Ormoc.
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โOrmoc came, played the game, and conquered but more than that, they believed. And that belief, once lit, doesnโt fade.
Basta Ormocanon, power!
โ๏ธ Mary Castaรฑos
๐ท Canque, Sampaga, Yap, Estrera
๐ป Lyxene Romero
