Five cities in Negros Occidental, including Bacolod, will host various events in the 2026 Negros Island Region Athletic Association Meet (NIRAAM) on March 1 to 7.
Contingents from 12 schools divisions will see action in the first Department of Education (DepEd)-led regional sports competition since the establishment of the country’s newest administrative region in June 2024.
These include Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Bacolod City, Silay City, Kabankalan City, Dumaguete City, Canlaon City, Bais City, Bayawan City, Guihulngan City and Tanjay City.
The 2026 NIRAAM opening ceremony will be held at the Panaad Park and Stadium in Barangay Mansilingan in Bacolod City 4 p.m. on March 1.
Aside from Bacolod, the adjacent cities of Silay, Talisay, Bago,and Victorias will also serve as playing venues.
On Wednesday afternoon, Mayor Greg Gasataya led the send-off for the Bacolodnon athletes in a ceremony held at Bacolod City National High School gymnasium.
Gasataya said he hopes that Bacolod’s athletes clinch the championship at the inaugural event.
He noted that the athletes have great potential to bring more gold medals to the city and represent Bacolod at the national level.
As the main host-city, Bacolod has allocated a total of PHP54.5 million for the event, including PHP24 million as financial support to the DepEd and PHP30.5 million for the city’s delegation.
“We are appealing to the public and the business owners – the transport sector, restaurants, hotels, and other businesses – to extend help and hospitality to all the visitors who will join us for the NIRAAM 2026,” Gasataya said.
The sports events include archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball 3×3 and 5×5, billiards, boxing, chess, dancesport, football, futsal, gymnastics, goal ball, bocce, para athletics, paraswimming, pencak silat, pickleball, sepak takraw, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling, wushu and cheerdance.
Silay will host chess, dancesport, and boxing while Talisay will be the venue for football, archery, sepak takraw and some basketball 5×5 games.
Some football matches will also be played in Bago and Victorias.*PNA
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