BATANGAS CITY, Philippines — While the athletes of the Regional Athletic Association Meet (RAAM) CALABARZON 2026 shattered records, an equally monumental victory was achieved behind the scenes. In a groundbreaking milestone for regional sports, this year’s competition was officially declared the first-ever “Zero Waste RAAM,” setting a new standard for environmental responsibility in large-scale athletic events.
Batangas City Mayor Hon. Mario Vittorio A. Mariño proudly announced Saturday, March 14, the achievement during the closing ceremony at the Batangas City Convention Center—emphasizing that this year’s regional meet transcended traditional sporting competition to champion ecological sustainability. Hosting thousands of student-athletes, coaches, and spectators typically generates overwhelming volumes of solid waste. Beyond the race for the championship title, the 25 competing Schools Division Offices (SDOs) and their billeting schools engaged in a different kind of competition: the race to become the most eco-responsible delegate.
The success of the Zero Waste initiative relied heavily on the strict implementation of waste segregation, innovative composting, and the absolute minimization of single-use plastics across all sporting venues and billeting quarters.
To recognize the extraordinary efforts of the athletes, coaches, and billeting schools, the committee awarded special citations to those who championed the green initiative. Leading the charge was SDO Calaca City, alongside Kumintang Elementary School, who both took home multiple top-tier environmental honors.
SDO Calaca City which was awarded Best in Waste Segregation for their meticulous discipline in properly categorizing every piece of refuse within their quarters. SDO Cavite City earned the title of Best in Composting Practices by turning food scraps and biodegradable waste from their daily meals into nutrient-rich compost.
Meanwhile, SDO Dasmariñas City took home the award for Best in Plastic-Free Operations after actively banning single-use plastic bottles and disposable packaging. Earning recognition for their rapid adaptation to these stringent ecological practices, SDO Sto. Tomas City was named the Most Improved Delegation.
Another critical component of the initiative was the cooperation between the visiting athletes and their billeting schools. Celebrating this synergy, the Best Billeting School-Delegation Partnership was awarded jointly to Kumintang Elementary School and SDO Calaca City.
The culmination of the environmental awards then recognized the groups that exhibited the most comprehensive and consistent green practices across all metrics. Proving that their environmental discipline was as formidable as their athletic skills, SDO Calaca City was crowned the first-place Most Eco-Responsible Delegation. They were closely followed by Cavite City in second place and Cavite Province in third.
The local schools of Batangas City also stepped up to the massive challenge of housing thousands of guests while maintaining environmental standards. Kumintang Elementary School led the charge once again, securing the first-place award for Most Eco-Friendly Billeting School. Paharang Integrated School earned second-place honors in the category, while Calicanto Elementary School rounded out the top environmental hosts in third place.
The overwhelming success of the Zero Waste RAAM 2026 just proves that massive sporting events can be held without compromising the integrity of the local environment. As the region now shifts its focus toward the upcoming 66th Palarong Pambansa in Agusan del Sur, the green standards established here in Batangas City will undoubtedly serve as a blueprint for future athletic competitions nationwide.| Sheenalei Briana Rayos
