The 2023 Palarong Pambansa, officially known as the 63rd Palarong Pambansa, also known as Palaro 2023 and Marikina 2023, was a multi-sport event held in Marikina, Metro Manila, from July 29 to August 5, 2023. Student-athletes from 17 athletic associations representing the 17 regions of the Philippines competed in different sporting events and disciplines.
Prior to that, the Games were originally scheduled in the city for 2020 but were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1]
Hosting
Preparations
Nearly three years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced its cancellation, the local government of Marikina, DepEd-NCR, and the Schools Division Office of Marikina are set to host the 63rd edition of Palarong Pambansa.[2]
An additional tier called the Pre-National Qualifying Meet will be introduced to lessen the number of delegations, shorten the duration of the event, and lower the expenses. Under the new tier, delegations will be clustered into four groups based on their geographical location. The top two regional delegations per cluster will then advance to the actual Palarong Pambansa event.[2]
As such, the said new level will only feature team sports. Measurable sports will adopt the qualifying distance, time, and points set by the Palarong Pambansa. Other sports that do not apply qualifying standards in the selection of athletes and are not identified as team sports will advance directly to the Palarong Pambansa culminating competitions.[2]
The modified competition format aims to prevent the disruption of classes and to observe minimum public health and safety protocols and other relevant policies and guidelines issued. Aside from student-athletes from the 17 regional athletic associations, Filipino athletes enrolled in recognized schools overseas will also be allowed to compete in individual sports under the banner of Philippine Schools Overseas.[2]
On February 6 and April 24, Palarong Pambansa conducted a 5-day division and regional meets according to DepEd Memorandum No. 5, s. 2023, as recommended by the Palarong Pambansa Secretariat.[3]
On July 22, Vice President and Department of Education (DepEd) secretary Sara Duterte led the inspection of playing venues at the Marikina Sports Center prior to the press launch. She was joined in the technical inspection by Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro, Interior and Local Government secretary Benhur Abalos, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Richard Bachmann and Marikina Sports Center administrator Angelito Llabres. Duterte and Teodoro also signed the memorandum of agreement between DepEd and the Marikina government for the hosting of Palaro 2023.[4]
Student athletesMarikina Sports Center, the main venue of the Games
This is Marikina's first time hosting the Palarong Pambansa and the first time since the halt of the event due to the COVID 19 pandemic.[5] It is also NCR's fifth hosting since the 1966 Palarong Pambansa held in Quezon City, after 54 years. Marikina will be the fourth city in NCR to stage the Palarong Pambansa after Manila, Pasig, and Quezon City (1948 and 1960, 1964, and 1966 respectively).[6]
Marikina is part of the NCR contingent and Marikina Sports Center will serve as the main venue as well as the grand opening ceremony on July 31, two days after the Games' pre-event activities (such as meetings, refreshers, and training) started, and the closing ceremony. Marikina also bids the recent editions of Palarong Pambansa and all won as one of the candidate cities: 2014 (runner-up to Sta. Cruz, Laguna)[7] and 2012 (runner-up to Lingayen, Pangasinan).[8]
In history, Marikina was supposed to host the "31st" Palarong Pambansa in 1980 but was canceled. Marikina hosted the 1980 Palarong Bagong Lipunan as a substitute for the 1980 Palarong Pambansa.[9]
A Pre-National Qualifying Meet was introduced to lessen the number of delegations, shorten the duration of the event, and lower the expenses. As such, the said new level will only feature team sports such as baseball, basketball, football, futsal, sepak takraw, football, and volleyball. Under the new tier, delegations will be clustered into four groups based on their geographical location.[10]
Notes: ES – Elementary School, HS – High School, NHS – National High School
Sports
A total of 34 sports disciplines, including the para-games, demonstrations, and exhibition sports.[12]
It also features the Indigenous Filipino (Traditional) Games, also known as "Laro ng Lahi", the DepEd will conduct Kadang-kadang, Tumbang Preso, and Patintero on July 28, as part of 2023 Palarong Pambansa.[13]
During the closing ceremony at the Marikina Sports Center, a portion of the drone show erroneously depicted the Philippine flag with its blue and red strips interchanged, a variation used in a state of war. Following the ceremony, the supplier of the drones, DroneTechPH, issued a public apology, admitting that it was unable to test the drone sequence ahead of the ceremony, citing inclement weather.[15]
On August 6, 2023, the Marikina City Government issued a statement condemning the error and announcing their intention to pursue legal action against the company.[16]
^"Billeting areas". palarongpambansa2023.marikina.gov.ph/. 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
^Saldajeno, Ivan Stewart; Philippine News Agency (22 July 2023). "Esports to be played in Palaro '23". Philippine Canadian Inquirer. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 23 July 2023.