The 2026 Davao Region Athletic Association (Davraa) Meet is set to gather 9,108 delegates, including 5,963 athletes, 1,108 coaches, 235 female athlete chaperones, and 1,802 officials and committee members, when it opens at 4 p.m. on February 22 at the Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex.
The Department of Education-Davao Region (DepEd-Davao), with Davao del Norte as host and Tagum City as co-host, said competitions will run from February 23 to 28 across 13 schools in Tagum City.
Jenielito Atillo, DepEd-Davao spokesperson, said the region is aiming for a stronger performance this year, building on previous successes and the addition of new sports events.
“There are more delegates this year because we added a few sports,” Atillo said during the Davao Peace and Security Press Corps forum on Wednesday, February 18, at The Royal Mandaya Hotel.
The 2026 Davraa Meet will feature 24 regular sports and four para games. Three new events have been added: weightlifting in the regular division, girls’ football at the secondary level, and elementary futsal. Seven divisions will compete in weightlifting: Davao City, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Digos City, Igacos, Mati City, and Tagum City.
Atillo clarified that medals from the newly added events are not yet included in the official medal tally, as DepEd-Davao is still awaiting approval from the DepEd Central Office and the Palarong Pambansa committee.
Despite this, he expressed confidence that Davao Region can improve its overall standing, citing the region’s steady rise in past meetings. “In previous years, our delegation initially targeted sixth place, but we finished fourth and were recognized as one of the strongest in Mindanao. Last year, we nearly reached second place,” Atillo said.
He added that athletes and coaches are determined to maintain the region’s momentum, having placed fourth overall in the 2025 Palarong Pambansa in Ilocos Norte. “We need a very good performance this year to reach our target. The team is committed to continuing the region’s progress in sports development,” he said. DOROTHY HARRIET CABANTE/DNSC, SUNSTAR INTERN