VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur -- Cordillera region is on course for an improve finish in the ongoing Palarong Pambansa, bagging 19 gold medals going into the penultimate day of competition.
In an official partial medal tally by the Department of Education (DepEd), as of 11 a.m., the region has already secured 19 gold medals, 12 silver and 11 bronze medals.
DepEd Car assistant regional sports coordinator Georaloy Palao-ay said bulk of the gold medals of the Cordillera came from taekwondo with nine, five from the elementary and four from the high school category.
“The squad are all fired up right now and we hope their momentum continue,” added Palao-ay.
Taekwondo’s Chelsea Xen Tacay earlier snagged the individual poomsae female category while Stephen Marcus Bamba took the gold in the male side.
In the team poomsae event, the trio of Bamba, Justin Kobe Macario, and Gabriel Ivan Inacay grabbed the gold while in the distaff side, Tacay, Jessa Tumlayen, and Xaphrine Paijhe Rivera also wrest the top honors.
Charmaine Angela Villamor finally scored her first gold medal this year bagging the 60-meter event in secondary girls archery competition after snagging a bronze in the 30 meter event and single FITA round.
Cordillera’s Bea Mendoza earlier bagged two gold medals in chess while the trio of Khloie Directo, Marion Lopez, and Izy Pobletin bagged the gold in the team event of arnis in elementary.
Jesus Macalanda, Rod Xhedrick Mendoza, and Elmer Manlapas also took home the gold medal in the team event - espada y daga in arnis secondary boys.
Wrestler Mark Gruner Gamma took home the gold in the cadet boys 54 kg.
Cordillera displaced Soccsksargen for the fourth spot with the National Capital Region still lording the competition with 38-29-16 followed by Western Visayas with 23-18-31.
Running for third is Southern Tagalog with 20 gold medals, 20 silver and 35 bronze medals as Soccsksargen slipped to fourth place with 15-14-16.