Opening Ceremonies to mark start of 2026 edition of MPTC Tour of Luzon

 

The revival of the race of the summer continues as the 2026 edition of the MPTC Tour of Luzon gets kickstarted with the Opening Ceremonies and Team Presentations on Tuesday at CaSoBe in Calatagan, Batangas.

Dubbed as "A Heritage in Motion," 91 riders split into thirteen teams are set to display their shiny jerseys as an appetizer for the grueling road ahead, featuring fourteen stages traversing the biggest island in the Philippines.

Set to address them in the ceremony, which starts at 5pm, are Philippines Sports Commission chairman Patrick Gregorio, and the tour's Chief Organizer and CEO Arrey Perez, which will also feature a message from Philippine Olympic Committee president and concurrently the head of PhilCycling, the national sports association for cycling, Abraham Tolentino, as well as opening remarks from NLEX Corporation president and general manager Luis Reñon.

In addition, gracing the event are Mediaquest Holdings Inc President and CEO Ricky Vargas, who also is a member of the Board of Directors for the tour's Organizing Committee, as well as Games and Amusements Board chairman Atty. Francisco Rivera, Calatagan Mayor Rico Puno and Cardinal Santos Medical Center president and CEO Raul Pagdanganan.

Also among the distinguished guests are noted cycling enthusiast and MMDA General Nicolas Torre III, who was one of the participants in Sunday's Heritage Race for cycling executives, and the family of the late cycling patron Albert Lina.

Aside for the messages, the ceremony will feature the handover of the MPTC Tour of Luzon Perpetual Trophy from inaugural champion MPTC DriveHub back to the organizers. In order to keep this trophy, they will need to win this upcoming edition and the next one after that.

Concluding the events on Tuesday will be a fireworks display on the shore off Balayan Bay.

Race proper begins on Wednesday with a festive and booming Grand Departure starting at 9am, with Stage 1 set to conclude at Tagaytay City. It is the lone stage in Southern Luzon with the start of Stage 2 taking place in Clark. In a tour first, it will feature a couple of Hors Category climbs, with one on the tenth stage from Candon City, Ilocos Sur to Bessang Pass in Cervantes, Ilocos Norte, as well as on the final stage from Lingayen Pangasinan to John Hay Hotels in Baguio City.

Returning to defend his individual crown and leading the foreign contingent in the tour is Joo Dae Young of Gapyeong Cycling Team, one of two Korean teams participating.

The rest of the foreign legion are comprised of Seoul Cycling Team, LCW UAE Cycle, CCN Factory Racing (Hong Kong), Ponti Wijaya Racing Team (Indonesia), and the Malaysian National Team.

Aside from the defending champions MPTC DriveHub, representing the Philippines are known continental players 7-Eleven CLIQQ Roadbike Philippines and Go For Gold Philippines, as well as Standard Insurance Philippines, DReyna Orion Cement Pro Cycling Team, Excellent Noodles, and Pangasinan Cycling Team.

The MPTC Tour of Luzon is co-presented by the Philippine Sports Commission, and supported by the MVP Group of Companies and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), while also aligned with the National Sports Tourism Inter-Agency Committee (NSTIAC). 

Details about the race are in the official website tourofluzoncycling.com and its corresponding Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/tourofluzoncycling.

Second leg of PFA Open Tournament on tap this weekend

c/o Philippine Fencing Association

Fencers return to competitive action this weekend as the second leg of the Philippine Fencing Association (PFA) Open Division ranking tournaments commences inside the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Around 250 competitors are expected to take part, marking the continuation of the Dr. Celso L. Dayrit Memorial Fencing Championships, which also hosted the first leg of the PFA Cadet and Junior rankings last March.

The season-opening leg of the PFA Open last February set an early tone for what has become a tightly contested year, featuring national team regulars and elite club fencers battling for early control of the standings. While several familiar names claimed podium finishes, results across foil, épée, and sabre highlighted just how slim the margins have become at the highest level.

Nearly all medalists from the first leg are back in action, alongside competitors coming off recent campaigns in the UAAP Fencing Championships, the domestic Cadet and Junior leg, and international events such as the FIE Cadet and Junior Championships in Brazil. Those tournaments saw new contenders emerge and sharpened several athletes ahead of this key Open Division stop.

Also returning are members of the Philippine Modern Pentathlon Team, who figured prominently in the opening leg. Leading that contingent are Samuel German and Princess Arpilon, both aiming to build on previous medal finishes.

Competition begins on Saturday with Men’s Épée, Women’s Foil, and Men’s Sabre, before concluding on Sunday with Women’s Épée, Men’s Foil, and Women’s Sabre, as valuable ranking points remain up for grabs.

Canlas Fencing sets the table in PFA Cadet/Junior opener

c/o Philippine Fencing Association

Members of the Canlas Fencing community stepped up and showed out in the first leg of the Philippines Fencing Association's ranking tournaments for Cadet and Junior fencers last March 21-22 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

The competition, called the Dr. Celso L. Dayrit Memorial Fencing Championships, took place days after the conclusion of the UAAP Fencing Championships that was held at the University of Makati.

Leading the charge for the club are the Canlas sisters, with Nina netting two gold medals in Women's Epee and Nicol securing a gold and a bronze in Women's Sabre. The former dispatch a couple of Oblation Fencing competitors, Sophia Carig in the semifinals, and Faith Olemos in the final to claim the Cadet crown on Saturday, before defeating fellow Red Warrior Mika Ragot in the semifinals and Justa Sandoval of UP in the final for Juniors the next day.

As for the latter, she managed to defeat Liah Gillana in the semifinals, 15-7, avenging her defeat to the UST HS standout in the UAAP Girls Sabre semifinal a week earlier. Nicol then dispatched CF teammate Gabrielle Wynter Ang in the final, 15-12 for the Cadet crown.

She almost matched her sister's feat, but lost to Nadelle Turiano in the semifinals, 15-7. The Canadian-based fencer topped the Junior crown with a 15-13 win over Arianna Tiu of Republic Fencing.

All-CF match-ups also popped up on both days, with Oscar del Castillo defeating Franco Pediapco in the Cadet Men's Epee final, while it was a pure CF podium on Junior Men's Foil, with Nathan Canlas defeating Marcus Antonio Manuel in the final, 15-4. James Limuel Lim beat his fellow Red Warrior Brynt Gale for the bronze, 15-13.

Willa Galvez took advantage of Sophia Catantan incurring an injury during the knockout rounds to claim the Cadet Women's Foil title, dispatching Hagia Sophia del Castillo. With Catantan ruled out for the next day's Junior action, the younger del Castillo bounced back to top the action against Jodie Tan.

Other winners include Xavier's Gabriel Marcus Chua in Cadet Men's Foil, UST's Antonio Baydid in Cadet Men's Sabre, Matt Jacob Mayo in Junior Men's Epee, and Charles Babatio in Junior Men's Sabre.

The second leg of the Cadet and Junior ranking tournament is slated to take place next month.

National Team stalwarts set early pace in PFA Open tournament

c/o Philippine Fencing Association

The quest to determine the best Filipino fencers in the country took place last Valentine's weekend at the Amoranto Stadium in Quezon City, as the Philippine Fencing Association held the first leg of its ranking tournaments.

As expected, members of the national team pool led the way in the competition, managing to earn their way to most of the final spots for each division.

Saturday saw our SEA Games individual medalists step up to the plate, with silver medalist Noelito Jose Jr claim the Men's Epee title against Samuel German, who is part of the national pool for Modern Pentathlon, 15-13.

Bronze Medalist Janna Catantan claimed the Women's Foil crown by defeating her younger sister Sophia, 15-9, while Eunice Villanueva topped fellow bronze medalist CJ Concepcion, 15-12.

Meanwhile on Sunday, bronze medalist Nathaniel Perez topped surprise standout Michael Nicanor, 15-12, for the men's foil title. Nicanor has been active more as a coach/mentor for Republic Fencing, but managed to dispatch national team pool members Marcus Manuel and Shawn Nicollei Felipe respectively in the quarterfinals and semifinals to set up his match against Perez.

Jylyn Nicanor topped her fellow national team member Queenie Dalmacio for the Women's Sabre crown.

Complementing the performance of German for Modern Pentathlon, is Princess Honey Arpilon. The former SEA Games medalist pulled off upsets against fellow Ormoc natives and UAAP individual champions Alexa Larrazabal in the semifinal and Juliana Gomez in the final to claim the Women's Epee title with 15-11 scorelines.

Other noteworthy performances during the competition include La Salle standouts Edan Ensamtan and Kurt Maruquez, Aubrey Fernandez of UST, Canada-based Nadelle Turiano, and Victoria Ebdane, both of whom represent Canlas Fencing.

In addition to the action on the piste, the PFA also honored last year's top fencers in all three levels (MiniMe, Cadet and Junior, Open).

The NSA will hold its second leg on April 25-26 at Rizal Memorial Coliseum as the Open portion of the Dr. Celso L. Dayrit Memorial Fencing Championships.

UAAP, PGTI set for golf introduction for Season 88

Golf is finally making its much-anticipated entry into the UAAP mainstream, debuting as a demonstration event this Season 88 – a significant step toward expanding the collegiate league’s program beyond its traditional core sports.

In partnership with the Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., organizer of the Philippine Golf Tour, the Ladies PGT, the Junior PGT, and the Intercollegiate Tour, the UAAP is pulling out all the stops to ensure not just a successful debut but a compelling case for golf’s inclusion as a regular medal event in the near future. This collaboration reflects a shared vision: to elevate collegiate golf and create a sustainable competitive structure for student-athletes.

The milestone inauguration will take place on April 20 at The Country Club. Dubbed as the UAAP Golf Invitational, the 18-hole tournament is expected to draw key players from member schools, school representatives, and guests, underscoring the significance of this breakthrough moment.

Competition will be structured across multiple divisions. The men’s category will feature Classes A, B, and C, while players aged 60 and above will vie for the Seniors crown. The women’s division will have a single category, highlighting inclusivity while maintaining competitive integrity.

More than just a debut, golf’s inclusion as a special event this season signals the UAAP’s broader intent to diversify its sports portfolio and assess new events based on participation, competitiveness, and long-term viability. If the demonstration proves successful, golf could soon join the ranks of regular UAAP medal events.

This initiative aligns with the league’s efforts to build on the popularity of its established centerpiece sports – such as basketball, volleyball, and cheerdance – by introducing disciplines that offer different skill sets and career pathways.

Notably, several UAAP schools, including La Salle, Ateneo, and UST, have already participated in the ICTSI Intercollegiate Tour, providing a strong foundation of experience and talent heading into the UAAP setup. While ICTSI will continue to stage its intercollegiate event, UAAP golf will operate as a separate competition, with schools given the flexibility to field different teams in both tournaments.

Golf’s rising popularity in recent years further strengthens its case. ICTSI’s sustained efforts – through its professional circuit, ladies’ tour, and especially its junior development programs – have helped grow the sport nationwide. The Junior PGT, in particular, has cultivated young talent across Luzon and the Visayas-Mindanao regions, culminating in elite competitions such as the North vs South Finals.

Within this context, UAAP golf has the potential to become a crucial bridge in the athlete development pipeline. It can connect grassroots junior programs to the professional ranks, offering student-athletes a structured environment where they can refine their skills while pursuing academic goals.

Ultimately, UAAP golf represents more than just another addition to the calendar – it is an investment in the future of Philippine sports. By providing a competitive platform at the collegiate level, the league not only accelerates the sport’s growth but also empowers student-athletes to seriously consider professional careers.

If momentum continues, golf could soon evolve from a special event into a cornerstone UAAP sport – one that not only broadens the league’s appeal but also strengthens the country’s presence in the global golfing arena.

Cleantech set to support Filipino athletes in Olympic quest

PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and Cleantech chairman Luisito Mercado seal the partnership with (from left) Alexis Mercado, Gloria Mercado, Yeana Victoria Mercado, Francis Luis Mercado,  POC secretary-general Atty. Wharton Chan, Shylou Ortiz Luis and Philip Luis Mercado. POC Photo

THE Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and gas station company Cleantech sealed on Thursday a three-year partnership that runs through the country’s campaign in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
Considered a first for the POC in collaborating with a fuel company for its mission and vision, the partnership was sealed between POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and Cleantech chairman Luisito Mercado on Thursday in a formal ceremony at the Century Park Hotel in Manila.

“Cleantech is now the POC’s official fuel brand partner and we’re so happy that they will support our national athletes,” said Tolentino, adding Cleantech’s support comes at the right time when Filipino athletes are gearing up for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games this September, Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia and the inaugural SEA Plus Youth Games the Philippine is hosting next year and the Asian Beach Games in Cebu in 2028.

“This is a valuable support,” Tolentino added.

Cleantech is a gas station company in partnership with Repsol established in November 2015 operating in Nueva Ecija and Pampanga with a mission to provide customers the “Sulit” feeling for every liter they spend.

“We believe in the potential of Filipino athletes and we want to be part of their journey especially in the Los Angeles Summer Olympics in 2028,” Cleantech Vice President for Finance Yeana Victoria Mercado said.

“We want to serve and help athletes through our social responsibility to fellow Filipino people and want to be with them,” said Yeana Victoria Mercado, adding that Cleantech’s support comes in the form of a P1-million-a-year cash sponsorship.

Cleantech is authorized to use the POC logo in its promotional campaigns and in return, the POC will include the company’s logo in all its platforms—including in social media and national team jerseys.

Also present in the contract signing ceremony were POC secretary-general Atty. Wharton Chan and Cleantech Director for Finance Alexis Mercado, Director Gloria Mercado, General Manager Francis Luis Mercado and Directors Philip Luis Mercado and Shylou Ortiz Luis.

Lady Spikers at cusp of completing elims sweep

c/o UAAP

Games on Saturday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion
9 a.m. - Ateneo vs UE (Men’s)
11 a.m. - Ateneo vs UE (Women’s)
3 p.m. - AdU vs FEU (Men’s)
5 p.m. - AdU vs FEU (Women’s)

De La Salle University moved on the cusp of the UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Women’s Volleyball Finals after overpowering also-ran University of the East, 25-20, 25-18, 25-15, on Wednesday afternoon at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila.

The Lady Spikers stayed unbeaten at 13-0 and inched closer to their first elimination-round sweep since Season 76 (2014)—an achievement that would secure an outright Finals berth and trigger a stepladder format.

La Salle will aim to complete the sweep against modern-day rival and defending champion National University this Sunday, April 19, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay. The Lady Spikers won their first-round encounter against the Lady Bulldogs, 25-21, 25-19, 19-25, 25-17, last March 15 at the same Pasay venue.

La Salle was also able to insert substitutes Mikee Santos, Ella de Guzman, and Mikole Reyes, who all responded well in the straight-set victory.

“Siguro, hindi naman mawawala yung pressure pagdating sa amin. Siyempre, nandoon yung pressure na kailangang manalo, pero lagi namang pinapaalala ni coach na score at number lang ’yan. Kailangan mag-focus pa rin sa kung ano yung nasa harapan mo, which is yung NU ngayon, at one game at a time lang. Sana, hopefully, maganda pa rin yung mapakita namin na game against NU,” La Salle assistant coach Gian de Jesus said.

In the third set, the Lady Spikers turned a 4-4 deadlock into a comfortable 15-9 advantage, capped by three consecutive attacks from second-year outside hitter Shane Reterta.

From there, La Salle stayed firmly in control, with Angel Canino’s attack, a Kristine Iquio attack error, a Mikee Santos crosscourt hit, and a down-the-line conversion from De Guzman sealing the match in just 78 minutes.

In a tightly contested second frame, the Lady Spikers pulled ahead for a two-set advantage behind consecutive Lilay del Castillo blocks, a Canino backrow hit, and a quick attack by Amie Provido.

“That’s what the coaches are instilling in us—one game at a time. We don’t worry about this streak that we have and the 13-0; we worry about how we perform, and if we perform, of what we had done in training. Being disciplined in staying true to the system the coaches have taught us,” Laput said, who finished with 12 points on 10-of-20 kills, one block, and one ace alongside four excellent digs.

Canino also finished with 12 points on top of 10 excellent digs and seven excellent receptions. Del Castillo had nine points on five blocks and four attacks, while Provido supplied eight points on six attacks and two blocks.

Reterta posted an all-around stat line of five points, seven excellent digs, and seven excellent receptions, while Santos also added five points.

Meanwhile, the Lady Warriors remained winless through 13 games, extending their losing streak to 27 consecutive matches and moving on the brink of a second straight winless campaign in UAAP women’s volleyball.

Khy Cepada led UE in the loss with 13 points on 10 attacks, two aces, and one block, along with 10 excellent receptions and four excellent digs, while Bangayan added 10 points on eight attacks and two aces with six excellent digs.

Angge Reyes contributed 10 excellent digs and eight excellent receptions.

The Lady Warriors will look to break through against the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles this Saturday, April 18, at the same UST venue.