18/03/2026
๐ฃ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฏ๐ผ ๐ต๐ผ๐น๐ฑ๐ ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐๐ณ๐๐น '๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐' ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฏ๐ผ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐บ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฝ๐
Pilipinas Sambo ensured that the inaugural staging of the Araw ng Dabaw Sambo Championships would exceed expectationsโespecially as it was held in a place where dreams are turned into reality.
In its debut entry in the Araw ng Dabaw sports calendar, the National Sports Association (NSA) did not settle for the ordinary but went beyond resource limitations.
Pilipinas Sambo President Paolo Tancontian made sure it would be a national-level competitionโand it delivered.
Concluding on Tuesday, March 17, at Sta. Ana National High School, the event recorded 200 participants from across the country.
Setting the standard
Why did Pilipinas Sambo choose to host it in a public school gym?
Simple. Pilipinas Sambo built its grassroots program from public school students exposed to elite-level training with renowned and veteran athletes in Manilaโa formula already proven to produce international and podium-caliber sambists.
In 2024, Pilipinas Sambo also launched a massive grassroots development program across the country, targeting public school athletes and providing them opportunities to become part of the national team.
Tancontian said the hosting of this event is not merely a tournament; it also serves as a scouting ground for the national pool.
โTarget talaga natin yung mga nasa public schools at mga provincial level, para mabigyan ng chance na makakuha ng scholarships sa big colleges and universities through their sport,โ he said.
Since Pilipinas Sambo has met all the requirements to officially enter the Batang Pinoy sports program, the NSA is eager to further promote sambo and build a larger community of practitioners.
One way of doing this is by creating a strong impact through the recently concluded Davao City event.
Pilipinas Sambo continues to uphold its commitment to the grassroots development campaign of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
PSC Chairman Patrick Gregorio also acknowledged the NSAโs dedication and personally graced the opening of the Araw ng Dabaw National Sambo Championships.
The chairman lauded the leadership of Pilipinas Sambo for balancing its priorities for the glory of the country.
Pilipinas Sambo has been a consistent medal hauler in overseas tournaments. National sambo athletes have dominated the Southeast Asian Games and other international championships.
Chairman Gregorioโs presence alone underscores the value of Pilipinas Sambo in Philippine sports.
Apart from the tournament, Pilipinas Sambo also conducted a free officiating seminar spearheaded by international referees to educate and inspire aspiring officials to join the sport.
Tancontian said it is an inclusive approach that allows everyone to be involved in samboโwhether in sports competition, combat events, or even officiating matches.
He added: โWhat matters most is that we donโt just organize events, we donโt just achieve honors or win medal after medalโwe inspire, and we make everyone part of our family. That is SAMBO STRONG.โ
Featured by Adz M
๐ธ Rene Arias
