CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY— Student-athletes who secured medals for Northern Mindanao at the 2026 Palarong Pambansa received monetary incentives during the 145th Regional Development Council (RDC) meeting Tuesday at the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines.
RDC Chairperson and Misamis Occidental Governor Henry Oaminal led the distribution of the awards. The incentives recognized the athletic delegation's performance during the Department of Education's annual national games, which officially commenced when Agusan del Sur opens Palarong Pambansa '26 with historic, tech-driven showcase inside the main sports complex in Prosperidad. Following this opening ceremony, thousands of student-athletes competed in their respective multi-sport events from May 24 to 31.
Competing as the Northern Mindanao Regional Athletic Association (NMRAA), the regional delegation finished the tournament with 27 gold, 31 silver, and 31 bronze medals. This multi-medal athletic haul secured their positioning in the official national sports rankings as the Normin Stars clinches 7th overall in Palaro Pambansa 2026 division leaderboards. This final placement underscores the region's competitive growth within the Department of Education's grassroots athletic framework.
Palarong Pambansa 2026 Incentive Breakdown
| Medal Type | Individual Cash Reward |
| Palaro Record-Breaker | ₱200,000 |
| Gold Medal | ₱100,000 |
| Silver Medal | ₱50,000 |
| Bronze Medal | ₱30,000 |
Two regional track-and-field athletes who broke standing Palarong Pambansa records received ₱200,000 each. Cesar Manliguez established a new record in the triple jump, while Charles James Villapana broke the previous record in the secondary boys' 110-meter hurdles.
Oaminal said the incentives recognize the athletes' hard work, discipline, and dedication in bringing pride to Northern Mindanao.
The chairperson also noted the programmatic contributions of coaches, parents, guardians, and the Department of Education Region 10 in preparing the delegation for the national tournament.
Northern Mindanao comprises the provinces of Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon, Camiguin, and Lanao del Norte.
