IBA, Zambales | April 15, 2026 — The Zambales schools contingent clinched the second overall position in the recently concluded 2026 Central Luzon Regional Athletic Association (CLRAA) athletic competition that pitted the best student players from 21 school divisions in Region III.
Official and final medals tally from the Department of Education-Region 3 showed Zambales winning 53 gold, 42 silver, and 79 bronze medals. The Division of Zambales was also 1st runner-up in the elementary level, and 2nd runner-up in the secondary level.
Zambales was way ahead of 2025 overall winner Olongapo City, which managed a GSB haul of 48-45-44 to take Rank 3 this year. Runaway champion Bulacan, meanwhile, sprinted across all fields with 106 gold, 73 silver, and 62 bronze medals in the 2026 CLRAA meet.
Governor Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., who gave all-out support for Team Zambales, said their strong performance indicated determination and “bannered the pride of the province in athletics.”
“We now move on to Palarong Pambansa 2026!” Ebdane said in his congratulatory message on Monday.
CLRAA serves as a qualifying meet for the Palarong Pambansa, the country’s premier multi-sport event set on May 24 to 31 in Agusan del Sur. Zambales recently formalized its bid to host the Palaro in 2027.
According to the Schools Division Office in Zambales (SDO-Zambales), the local team’s podium-finish this year underscored the perseverance and discipline of athletes and their coaches to rise to the top and be among the region’s best. The Division of Zambales was also 1st runner-up in the elementary level, and 2nd runner-up in the secondary level.
“From placing 9th in 2023, Team Zambales worked to rebuild its strength and competitiveness, overcoming a setback in 2024 when it dropped to 11th place, and making a remarkable surge in 2025 when it climbed to 3rd place,” SDO-Zambales noted.
“This momentum carried into 2026, where they achieved an even greater milestone—finishing at Rank 2 overall,” it added.
Team Zambales staged a surprising coup in the Pencak Silat event this year, when first-time players debuted to dominate the field, taking 11 of the 16 gold medals in the event, and three more silver and two bronze victories.
The Zambales delegation also brought home 11 gold medals each from swimming and athletics, showing significant improvement from just 2 and 10 golds, respectively, in last year’s competition.
Team Zambales also participated for the first time in the pole vault event and immediately made a mark by securing a gold in the secondary girls’ category.
The first part of the CLRAA 2026 games was held from March 21 to 27 in Tarlac province, while the second leg was completed in Aurora on April 6 to 13.
SDO-Zambales officials led by Division Superintendent William Roderick Fallorin, along with Provincial Sports Development Officer Jade Ballesteros and Zambales board member Carl Eric Rico, received the awards for the province during the awarding ceremony on April 13 in Aurora. – Taktikom News & Features
