Host Baguio retains overall title in Batang Pinoy

MANILA, Philippines — Host Baguio City harvested a whopping 83 gold, 81 silver and 197 bronze medals to outclass the field and retain the overall championship crown in the Batang Pinoy National Championships Friday night.

Baguio took home a total of 271 medals in a dominant defense of its overall title it held in the last edition of the event staged at Tagum City, Davao del Norte in 2016.

Baguio reaped golds in arnis, chess, cycling, muay thai, badminton, basketball, pencak silat, wushu, boxing, gymnastics, beach and indoor volleyball, lawn tennis, sepak takraw, softball, baseball and archery on the last day of the five-day event to secure the overall championship plum and the corresponding P3 million worth of incentives in the form of sports equipment and scholarships.

Cebu pocketed 36 gold, 40 silver and 44 bronze medals for a second-best 120-total while Laguna Province collected 34-13-31 and 78 in all for third.

Quezon City tallied 29-16-18 while Pangasinan Province amassed 24-24-25 to secure the Top Five against 185 other local government units that fought in 27 sports in Baguio City and Benguet.

The second placers will take home incentives of sports equipment and scholarships worth P2.5 million, the third placer, P2 million, fourth placer P1.5 million and fifth, P1 million.