Olango dancesport team wins 9 gold, 5 silver medals in Malaysia

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu — The Nemesio-Epifania Taneo Memorial High School (NETMHS) Dancesport Team from Barangay Tingo, Olango Island, Lapu-Lapu City, brought home nine gold and five silver medals after competing in the Negeri Sembilan International Dancesport Championship 2026 in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.

The championship was held on Aug. 9, 2026, bringing together dancesport athletes from several countries, including the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.

The team’s gold-medal finishes included Joseph Byron Evardo in the Solo Open Waltz, Tango and Quickstep; Bel Andre Taneo in the Pre-Solo Open Cha Cha, Jive and Samba; and Alyanna Dean Gaylan and Kenth Paquibot in the Teacher/Student Cha Cha category. Paquibot also competed in the championship while serving as the team’s coach.

The NETMHS dancers also secured silver medals in several events, including the Solo Open Waltz, Novice II Latin and Teacher/Student Rumba, adding to their strong showing in the international competition.

According to Paquibot, the NETMHS team was among the groups selected to represent the Philippines in the competition. Aside from the Lapu-Lapu City delegation, other Philippine participants came from areas including Cebu City and Cordova, while a smaller delegation came from Luzon.

Paquibot said the championship is held annually in Malaysia, although the venue varies depending on the available location. The competition features different divisions based on age and experience, including juvenile, junior, adult and amateur categories, with participants ranging from young dancers to more experienced international competitors.

For the NETMHS team, being selected to compete internationally was also an opportunity to showcase the talent of young dancers from Olango Island. Paquibot said the experience was a source of pride for the team, particularly as they represented not only their school but also Lapu-Lapu City and the Philippines.

“Makaproud because aside nga naay mga team sa (mainland) Lapu-Lapu, naa sad ika-offer ang taga Olango through Dancesport, naa gyud skills nga ika-offer specifically ang mga NETMHS athletes,” said Paquibot.

(It’s something to be proud of because aside from the teams from (mainland) Lapu-Lapu, the people of Olango also have something to offer through dancesport. The NETMHS athletes really have skills to offer.)

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