Filipino Young Athletes Take Virtual Centerstage in First-Ever MILO-DepEd Palarong Pambahay

Thousands of junior Filipino athletes in the country will showcase their athletic prowess as leading beverage brand MILO and the Department of Education (DepEd) will host the MILO-DepEd Palarong Pambahay Championships on May 21-22.

This was announced during a virtual press launch on Friday, May 13, 2022, which was attended by several media personalities coming from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. the DepEd Undersecretary, Atty. Tonisito Umali, also joined and was hosted by Ricky Ballesteros.

MILO-DepEd Palarong Pambahay is the first national online inter-sports competition in the country, which aims to provide a platform for young athletes to showcase their talents and continue their championship journey in school and in sports.

“Home-based classes and online tournaments have served as a training ground for our young athletes in the past two years during the pandemic,” said Carlo Sampan, Head of MILO Sports Program. “With the launch of the MILO-DepEd Palarong Pambahay, we aim to showcase the skills and grit these athletes have worked hard for over the years, and pay tribute to the parents, coaches, and teachers who have been on the sidelines to give their unwavering support to their children’s champion dreams”

The finalists, consisting of 3,000 young athletes from elementary and high school in public and private schools across the country, will compete in eight different sports, namely arnis, athletics, basketball, soccer, jumping rope, Karatedo, rhythmic gymnastics, and Taekwondo.

The finals of the competition will be broadcasted live on the official MILO Philippines Facebook page from May 21 to 22. Video submissions of shortlisted participants will serve as their official entries to the competition, where it will be judged and scored in real time. Top winners of both divisions will each receive a MILO medal, certificate, and electronic voucher.

“It is our great pleasure to be partnering with MILO once again for the first-ever MILO-DepEd Palarong Pambahay competition,” said DepEd Usec Umali. “Even though the pandemic has hindered most of our on-ground activities, our organization, as well as coaches, teachers, and parents, have worked tremendously hard to make this event a reality. This is quite a milestone and integral proof that nothing can stop the Filipino champion spirit and our winning culture of Bayanihan. We look forward to seeing our athletes shine and excel in the competition.”

MILO and the DepEd have enjoyed a longstanding partnership in promoting sport as an integral part of a child’s holistic development. During the height of the pandemic, MILO and DepEd have jointly rolled out online modules, instructional exercise videos, and sports equipment for public school students and teachers to help young Filipinos to remain active and excel in school and in sports.

For more information, follow MILO on Facebook (www.facebook.com/milo.ph) and Instagram (@MiloPhilippines).