BATANGAS CITY, Philippines — The Regional Athletic Association Meet (RAAM) CALABARZON 2026 has officially concluded Saturday, March 14, culminating in a grand awarding ceremony at Batangas City Convention Center. Solidifying their long-standing dynasty, Rizal Province was formally declared the overall champion, leading the elite circle of the Top 15 performing Schools Division Offices (SDOs).
The final and official medal tally, released following the week-long regional sporting event, highlighted Rizal Province’s staggering dominance across multiple disciplines. The Rizaleño delegation amassed an overwhelming 293 total medals, composed of 130 gold, 78 silver, and 85 bronze. This haul kept them comfortably ahead of the competition and secured their 12th consecutive overall championship.
Batangas Province delivered a phenomenal performance to clinch the 1st Runner-Up (Top 2) position. Capitalizing on their near-home advantage, the Batangueño athletes brought home a massive 172-medal haul, securing 50 gold, 48 silver, and 74 bronze medals. Quezon Province rounded out the podium finishers in the Top 3 spot, pulling in a solid 113 total medals driven by their 33 golds.
The battle for the remaining spots in the upper echelon was fiercely contested by the region’s highly competitive city divisions. Santa Rosa City claimed the Top 4 position with 92 total medals (29 gold), narrowly beating out Antipolo City, which took Top 5 with 76 medals (28 gold).
Also cementing their status as top-tier athletic programs were Imus City (Top 6), Dasmariñas City (Top 7), Lucena City (Top 8), and Lipa City (Top 9). Cavite Province closed out the top ten divisions with an 80-medal finish, anchored by 17 golds.
Completing the highly coveted Top 15 ranking were Biñan City (Top 11), General Trias City (Top 12), and Calamba City (Top 13). Host division Batangas City gave the barako crowd plenty to celebrate, fighting their way into the Top 14 with 32 total medals (8 gold, 7 silver, 17 bronze). Calaca City proudly secured the final spot on the list, taking Top 15 with 27 total medals, capping off their already historic run as this year’s top eco-champions.
During the awarding ceremonies, SDO representatives from the Top 15 divisions went up the stage, celebrating the culmination of their rigorous training. With the final rankings now etched in the books, the gold medalists from these top-performing divisions will shift their focus toward a unified goal: representing CALABARZON at the 66th Palarong Pambansa in Agusan del Sur this coming May.| Sheenalei Briana Rayos
