Gen San to host 2025 Batang Pinoy games

General Santos City is set to host the 2025 Batang Pinoy national championships from October 25-30, expecting over 15,000 athletes aged 17 and below.

The competition will feature 27 sports, including boxing, gymnastics, weightlifting, athletics, swimming, arnis, badminton, 3x3 basketball, chess, cycling, dancesports, futsal, jiu-jitsu, judo, kickboxing, karate, muay, pencak silat, sepak takraw, soft tennis, lawn tennis, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, wrestling, and wushu.

Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Richard Bachmann emphasized the program's success hinges on the athletes' experience and potential future selection for national teams.

Innovations for this year's event include a QR code system for schedules and results, adjusted age limits based on sport, and enhanced transportation via electric jeepneys.

General Santos City, the hometown of boxers Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire Jr., has a history of supporting youth sports.

The event aims to discover future Filipino sports stars and provide an experience comparable to global-level competitions, highlighting success stories like Olympic gold medalists Carlos Yulo and Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo.