LANAO DEL NORTE, Philippines — Lanao del Norte will take center stage in grassroots sports development as it hosts the inaugural Mindanao Youth Games in April 2027, welcoming thousands of young athletes from across the island and an international guest squad, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) announced on Wednesday.
Scheduled for April 11 to 17, 2027, the regional multi-sport competition will gather competitors aged 18 and below representing 33 cities across six Mindanao regions, alongside an invited guest delegation from Timor-Leste. The meet will feature 12 to 15 sporting events, including athletics, swimming, football, basketball, volleyball, archery, tennis, weightlifting, and combat sports.
All main sporting events will be held at the 66-hectare Mindanao Civic Center (MCC) in Tubod, a premier sports complex that previously hosted the 2023 Palarong Pambansa.
“The Mindanao Youth Games will showcase the best of our young athletes and position Lanao del Norte as a hub for sports tourism. Hosting this event is not just about competition; it is about peace, development, and giving our youth a platform to shine,” said Lanao del Norte provincial administrator Lyndon Calica, who represented Governor Mohamad Khalid.
The MCC complex currently features a 6,000-seat stadium, a 4,368-seat gymnasium, an Olympic-standard swimming pool, a motocross race track, lawn tennis courts, an archery area, open courts, a fitness gym, function hall, media center, hotel, and other support amenities for racket and combat sports.
To accommodate additional disciplines, the provincial government is collaborating with the PSC and the Philippine Amateur Baseball Association (PABA) to construct a baseball and softball diamond within the property. The complex also continues to expand its capabilities through facility upgrades and planned infrastructure developments aimed at enhancing athlete training, competition, and event hosting.
In line with broader grassroots development efforts, PSC Chairman John Patrick Gregorio and Commissioner Matthew Gaston joined Lanao del Norte Representative Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo and Calica on an ocular inspection of the National Academy of Sports (NAS) in New Clark City, Capas, Tarlac, on Saturday. Accompanied by NAS Deputy Executive Director Emil Arroyo, the delegation toured the state-of-the-art training grounds and residential quarters to study the feasibility of establishing similar facilities in the south.
“The NAS is designed to nurture the finest grassroots athletes and prepare them to become medal-winning national athletes. Replicating such a facility in Mindanao will give young athletes from the region the same opportunities to reach their dreams without having to leave home too early,” Gregorio said.
The visit highlights the growing recognition of Lanao del Norte as a destination for sports development and sports tourism, anchored by decades of vision, good governance, and sustained investment in facilities that empower athletes and communities alike.|
