Rugby 7s to be Hotly Contested in the Philippine National Games This Weekend

Aiumi Ono will be looking to take Cebu City to back to back Gold Medals

Jonel Madrona, a key member for Pampanga, aiming to take his team all the way

As the Philippine National Games (PNG) opens in Cebu, club teams from nine Local Government Units (LGUs) will vie for supremacy in the Rugby 7s event at Southern Plains in Laguna on May 19. 

Teams from Olongapo City, Pampanga, Palawan, Albay, Quezon City, Makati City, Cebu City, Davao City and General Santos City will contest for the national championships in the respected ladies’ and men’s division.

The PNG showcases the talents of Filipino athletes, sixteen years old and above, who are aiming not only for national team selection, but to also encourage local government units to bolster their grassroots sports programs in their respective communities.

Gold Medal favorites Pampanga Province will be vying to go back-to-back in the men’s division while Cebu travel to defend their gold medal for the women’s.

Rey Marc Bustillo to represent his home LGU Quezon City

Rassiel Sales for Makati City

“It’s great to see regions all over the Philippines to compete for the title, a full day of competition bringing out the best regions have to offer for Rugby 7s. I am looking forward to seeing each team and national athletes perform at their best,” Rose Lanticse, Tournament Director for the PNG shared. 

The top athletes to be featured across LGU’s include Jonel Madrona, Joe Mari Rauras and Kinglsey Ballesteros from Pampanga, Reymarc Bustillo from Quezon City all for the Men’s division. For the women’s Rassiel Sales and Sylvia Tudoc will suit up for Makati City, with Madille Salinas and Aiumi Ono for Cebu City. All have gone on to national representation in the past for Philippine Rugby.

This annual national multi-sport event is presented by the Philippine Sports Commission and is also supported by the Department of Interior Local Government and the Department of Education. The games will kick off at 8:00 am at Southern Plains, Calamba. There will be 26 matches to be played across both divisions. Entry is free.