The future of Philippine sports took center stage in Tagaytay as Olympic Day 2026 transformed the CT Velodrome into a training ground for young athletes dreaming of representing the country someday.
Former Gilas Pilipinas standout Larry Fonacier, along with Olympic medalists Carlo Paalam and Aira Villegas, shared their knowledge and experience with the next generation during the celebration held on June 23.
The event, organized by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), brought together more than 500 students from three Tagaytay City schools, giving children a chance to experience different sports while learning from some of the country’s top athletes.
Maharlika Elementary School led the participation with 207 students, followed by Carlos S. Batino, Sr. Memorial Elementary School with 175 pupils and Mendez Crossing Elementary School with 131 participants.
The young athletes took part in clinics covering boxing, basketball, football, baseball, taekwondo, and wrestling, with national sports association officials and coaches guiding them throughout the activities at the world-class venue.
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POC OLYMPIC DAY EMPOWERS THE NEXT GENERATION OF FILIPINO ATHLETES
LOOK: The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) hailed the 2026 Olympic Day celebration in Tagaytay City as a successful showcase of grassroots sports development.
Led by POC President Abraham ‘Bambol’ Tolentino,… pic.twitter.com/rDzlkH6pFK
— Bilyonaryo News Channel (@bncdotph) June 23, 2026
Paalam and Villegas focused on sharing their boxing expertise, while Fonacier helped develop aspiring basketball players as part of the event’s grassroots development program.
POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino emphasized that Olympic Day is more than just a celebration, it is an opportunity to inspire young Filipinos and discover future national team athletes.
“This is a very important date in the Olympic Movement as we celebrate this day when Olympism and the Olympic Games were founded in 1894. It’s a day of fun and sports as we join the whole world in celebrating this day,” Tolentino said.
For Tolentino, introducing sports to children at an early age could play a key role in building the country’s future international success.
“It is with hope that exposing our young students to sports, we can not just encourage more youth to play sports, but we can also discover new talents who we fervently hope could add to the Olympic golds of the Philippines,” he said.
The celebration was attended by several sports leaders, including Philippine Boxing Federation president Marcus Manalo, Wrestling Association of the Philippines president Ali Sulit, Philippine Karatedo Federation president Ricky Lim, and Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines chairman Atty. Wharton Chan.
The annual Olympic Day observance, recognized by the International Olympic Committee every June 23, continues a tradition that began in 1948. It serves as a reminder of the Olympic Movement’s values of excellence, friendship, and respect while encouraging people around the world to stay active through sports.
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