President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday urged young athletes in Cagayan to give their best and embrace sportsmanship as he opened the Cagayan Provincial Athletic Association (CPAA) Meet, highlighting sports as a powerful tool in shaping disciplined and resilient youth.

Marcos led the opening of CPAA Meet on the sidelines of his inspection on key infrastructure projects in the province.

In his message at the Camalaniugan Sports Complex, Marcos highlighted the role of sports in shaping discipline, teamwork and resilience among students.

“Patuloy pa rin ang palakasan dahil ito ang pinakamagandang training para sa ating mga kabataan dahil natututo tayo ng disiplina, natututo tayo ng camaraderie… kahit na medyo nadapa ay babangon ulit para manalo ulit, para maging champion (Sports must continue because it is the best training for our youth. They learn discipline and camaraderie, and even if they stumble, they learn to rise again and strive to become champions),” the President said.

Marcos stressed that athletic programs teach lessons that go beyond competition and are essential in preparing young Filipinos for life.

“We will continue to encourage sports amongst our young people because as far as I’m concerned, there is no downside to sport… lahat ng mga leksyon na matututunan ninyo… ay magagamit ninyo sa inyong mga buhay (We will continue to encourage sports among our youth because there is no downside to sports. All the lessons you learn will be useful in your lives),” he added.

To further strengthen youth development, Marcos said the government is gradually reintegrating sports administration into the Department of Education (DepEd).

“Dati, ang DepEd… tinanggal ang sports sa eskwelahan. Dahan-dahan nating binabalik sa eskuwelahan (Before, sports were removed from schools. We are now slowly bringing sports back to schools),” he said, noting that this will allow more students to experience physical fitness and teamwork.

The CPAA Meet runs from Jan. 7 to 10, with the official opening held on Thursday. It is organized by the DepEd Schools Division Office of Cagayan, with support from the provincial government and the local government of Camalaniugan.

The event serves as the selection ground for athletes who will represent Cagayan in the Cagayan Valley Regional Athletic Association Meet in April, which will in turn serve as a prelude to the Palarong Pambansa in May 2026. (PNA)