South Cotabato ready to host major sports events

Runners compete during the 2025 SRAA Meet on March 3 to 8 at the newly-rehabilitated South Cotabato Sports Complex in Koronadal City. Photo from Provincial Government of South Cotabato Facebook page

KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews / 10 March) – South Cotabato province is now ready to host major sports events, among them the Palarong Pambansa, with the completion of the rehabilitation of the provincial sports complex here, Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. said.

The provincial government spent about P50 million for the upgrading and rehabilitation of the rubberized track of the South Cotabato Sports Complex, which was completed in time for the 2025 Soccsksargen Regional Athletic Association (SRAA) Meet last March 3 to 8.    

Tamayo said the province is very much capable of hosting future editions of the annual Palarong Pambansa.

“We will try if we can bid for (the hosting of) the Palaro. That will require a huge budget but we have shown that if the city and the province are united, we can be successful,” he said during the weekly “Governor Meets the Press” on Monday.

He was referring to the joint hosting by Koronadal City and the provincial government of South Cotabato of the 2025 SRAA Meet.

South Cotabato province and Koronadal City hosted the Palarong Pambansa in 1996 and 2007, and was among the main playing venues of the now defunct Palaro ng Bayan in 2000.

The South Cotabato Sports Complex also served as one of the main venues of the 7th Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area or BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games in 2012 that was co-hosted by the province along with Sarangani and Koronadal City.

“If the province and the city will unite once again, nothing is impossible for us to achieve. It’s not only for the Palaro and SRAA. In all aspects of development, we will be successful and have real progress if we are all united,” Tamayo said.  

The provincial sports complex here hosts a newly upgraded standard rubberized track oval; tennis, basketball, volleyball and sepak takraw courts; baseball and football fields; and, an Olympic-size swimming pool.

Adjacent to it is a 5,000-capacity air-conditioned gymnasium for various indoor games.

In October last year, Tamayo announced that the provincial government will also push for the development of additional sports hubs for the province’s first and third legislative districts.

Tupi town will host the planned sports complex for the first district and Surallah for the third district.

The governor said these will complement the existing provincial sports complex, which also serves as a training hub for South Cotabato and Koronadal City athletes.

South Cotabato province bagged the overall championship in last week’s SRAA Meet with 124 gold, 114 silver and 98 bronze medals. General Santos City, the 2024 champion, settled for second place or first runner-up with 101 golds, 104 silvers and 84 bronzes, while Koronadal City was second runner-up with 60 gold, 57 silver and 69 bronze medals.

Soccsksargen comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and North Cotabato, and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong and Kidapawan.

The 2025 Palarong Pambansa is slated on May 24-June 2 in Laoag, Ilocos Norte. The 2026 edition will be hosted by Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur. (Allen V. Estabillo / MindaNews)