Lanao del Norte to host PSC’s first Mindanao Youth Games
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A province once associated with conflict is embracing a new identity through sports.
Lanao del Norte is set to host the inaugural Mindanao Youth Games from March 17 to 21, 2027 in partnership with the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), marking a major step in its bid to become Mindanao’s premier sports tourism destination.
The centerpiece of that vision is the 66-hectare Mindanao Civic Center Sports Complex, which features a FIFA-certified football pitch, a World Athletics-standard track and field oval, an Olympic-size swimming pool, a 5,000-seat gymnasium, and venues for archery, tennis, combat sports, and weightlifting. A baseball-softball diamond, backed by the PSC and the Philippine Amateur Baseball Association, is also in the pipeline.
PSC Chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio, who has also been making frequent trips to Cebu to oversee preparations for the 2028 Asian Beach Games, was impressed by the complex’s potential.
“I think you have the best sports facilities in the country. Maybe you don’t realize it, but it is really world-class,” Gregorio said.
The complex previously hosted the 2003 Palarong Pambansa and is now positioning itself for even bigger events. It has already been identified as the host of the 2028 Batang Pinoy and is being eyed for another Palarong Pambansa.
“People will realize that we don’t only host events in Manila. We go outside Metro Manila, we go to the Visayas, we go to Mindanao. The focus is also to develop regional training centers. When you upgrade facilities in the provinces, it’s an opportunity to host as well,” Gregorio said.
The Mindanao Youth Games will gather the region’s top athletes aged 18 and below across at least 12 sports, while serving as a platform for sports development, tourism, and economic growth.
“This hosting is a dream that will become a reality for our province,” said Lanao del Norte First District Rep. Imelda “Angging” Quibranza-Dimaporo. “I hope our countrymen will put our province on their bucket list. This is a land of beauty and bounty where you will find peace and warm, hospitable people.”
Sports for peace
Gov. Muhammad Khalid Dimaporo and Rep. Dimaporo see sports as a vehicle for lasting peace and development, transforming the province’s image while attracting investments and visitors.
Beyond the Games, the PSC has identified the Mindanao Civic Center as a future regional training center for football and baseball, ensuring sustained use of the facility.
The province has also begun strengthening its sports ecosystem through initiatives such as the Lanao del Norte Sports and Youth Summit held on July 28 and 29, where experts in coaching, sports psychology, marketing, and media shared best practices.
Joining Gregorio during the visit were PSC Commissioner Matthew Gaston, National Academy of Sports Executive Director Francis Carlos Diaz, PSC sports psychology consultant Prof. Karen Trinidad, Pilipinas Sepak Takraw Association president Karen Caballero, and PSC Chief of Staff Loujaye Sonido.
With the countdown to the inaugural Mindanao Youth Games underway, Lanao del Norte hopes the event will signal more than the arrival of a new sporting competition. It aims to showcase a province transformed, where sports have become a driving force for peace, tourism, and sustainable development.
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