The Philippines’ premier student sports competition, Palarong Pambansa, is set for a landmark expansion in 2024. For the first time ever, the National Academy of Sports (NAS) and Philippine Schools Overseas (PSOs) will be joining the week-long competition.

The competition will take place from July 9-16 in Cebu City.

The inclusion expands the traditionally regional competition, previously limited to athletes from the 17 Department of Education (DepEd) regions. 

The NAS, a government-funded specialized sports school in Tarlac City, is expected to send its most promising athletes. Adolf Aguilar, assistant superintendent of DepEd, acknowledged the high expectations for the NAS team.

“They are supposed to be the best athletes and they should win because they are funded and trained well,” Aguilar said in a Sugboanon Channel interview.

Meanwhile, PSOs, which consist of Filipino-accredited schools in the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong, have already formed their team to compete in both individual and team sports. These student-athletes will represent Filipino communities abroad.

“So 17 are regional delegations but for the first time in Palaro history, we have the 18th team which is the NAS and the 19th team is the schools from overseas,” Aguilar said.

Cebu City is gearing up to host the influx of athletes. A total of 20 public schools will serve as billeting quarters for the 19 delegations, with both the NAS and PSOs residing in City Central High School. 

Additionally, the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CCDRRMO) conducted a bomb simulation exercise on June 26 to ensure the safety of athletes and spectators during the games.

The inclusion of the NAS and PSOs is expected to elevate the competition and provide a bigger platform for Filipino student-athletes to showcase their talents.