VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur -- Amid the slow production of gold medals for the region, delegates of the stay focused on their bid to improve their sixth place finish in the ongoing Palarong Pambansa.

Bauko, Mt. Province pride Arvanson Mondata earned the first gold for the Cordillera region in elementary boys shot-put while chess added two more courtesy of Bea Mendoza.

Mendoza, of the University of Baguio bagged the gold medal in the secondary blitz category and another in the team blitz event with Maycydel Fajardo.

The grade 11 student earlier beat Kylen Joy Mordido of Southern Tagalog in the final round to score six out of the possible seven points.

Mordido, who garnered 5 points, settled for silver.

Fajardo, playing black, beat Vic Glysen Derotas of National Capital Region in the final round to gain four points for a team total of 10 points and pocket the team blitz gold.

Three more silver medals were added by arnis courtesy of Izy Zyrell Pobletin (elem. girls), Mark Alexis Martin (elem. boys), and Evelina Burdette (Baguio).

“We are still hopeful we will be able to get our target although we are experiencing tough contest against other delegates just like taekwondo and archery,” said DepEd assistant sports coordinator Georaloy Palao-ay.

Palao-ay added the team remains in high spirits as competition progress in the weeklong sports event backed by the Department of Education and in partnership with the Philippine Sports Commission.

For this year’s Palarong Pambansa, Department of Education-Cordillera Administrative Region was able to get a budget of P6.2 million, compared to the P12 million budget the region received last year.

The reduction in the region’s Palaro budget this year is understandable because of the shorter distance from the city to the Palaro venue, thus, the region was able to source out some additional P2 million from its regular budget to augment the funds that were taken from the central office for the staging of the premier sports competition.

As of 2:27 p.m. April 17, Southern Luzon Region is in first place with 5-1-4, with the National Capital Region at second place after bagging 4-4-1.

Cordillera, Cagayan Valley, Southern Tagalog, and Western Visayas have three gold medals each. (Roderick Osis)