Lanao del Norte as NAS satellite campus, confirms hosting of first Mindanao Youth Games

CAPAS, TARLAC—Lanao del Norte officials visited the National Academy of Sports (NAS) in New Clark City here to explore the possibility of establishing a satellite campus at the Mindanao Civic Center (MCC) in Tubod.

Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Patrick Gregorio personally toured Lanao Del Norte Congresswoman Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo and Provincial Administrator Lyndon Calica through NAS’s state-of-the-art facilities as the delegation benchmarked the academy’s athlete dormitories as models for similar facilities to be constructed at MCC.

“The NAS is designed to nurture the finest grassroots athletes and prepare them to become medal-winning national athletes. Replicating such a facility in Mindanao will give young athletes from the region the same opportunities to reach their dreams without having to leave home too early,” said Gregorio.

The academy, dedicated to discovering and developing the country’s finest high school athletes, provides a clear pathway for promising talents from the elementary and secondary levels to advance into elite national athletes and eventually represent the Philippines in international competitions.

Department of Education Secretary Sonny Angara serves as chairman of the National Academy of Sports (NAS), with Gregorio as vice chairman of its board of directors under the leadership of NAS Executive Director Prof. Francis Diaz.

“A satellite NAS campus at the Mindanao Civic Center will be a game-changer for our youth. It will open doors for Mindanao athletes to train, study, and dream of representing the country in international competitions,’’ said Quibranza-Dimaporo.

“This is about giving them hope and a clear pathway to success,” she added.

NAS Deputy Executive Director Emil Arroyo led the NAS campus tour of Lanao del Norte officials.

Calica, representing Lanao Del Norte Governor Mohamad Khalid, confirmed that the province will host the first-ever Mindanao Youth Games on April 11–17, 2027 at the MCC.

The event will gather thousands of athletes 18 years old and younger from 33 cities across six Mindanao regions, with Timor Leste joining as a guest team.

Competitions will span 12 to 15 sports, including football, athletics, swimming, basketball, volleyball, archery, tennis, combat sports, and weightlifting.

“The Mindanao Youth Games will showcase the best of our young athletes and position Lanao del Norte as a hub for sports tourism. Hosting this event is not just about competition, it is about peace, development, and giving our youth a platform to shine,” said Calica.

The Mindanao Civic Center in Tubod, Lanao del Norte stands as a sprawling 66-hectare complex that has earned recognition as one of the country’s premier sports venues.

At its heart is a FIFA-certified football pitch, complemented by a World Athletics-standard track and field oval that meets international competition requirements.

The MCC also boasts an Olympic-size swimming pool alongside a 25-meter training pool, ensuring facilities for both elite swimmers and grassroots development.

Inside its 5,000-seater gymnasium, basketball and volleyball take center stage, while specialized areas cater to archery, tennis, combat sports, and weightlifting.

“I think you have the best sports facilities in the country. Maybe you don’t realize it, but it is really world-class,” Gregorio told Quibranza-Dimaporo during the Lanao Del Norte Sports and Youth Summit in Tubod last month.

The province, in partnership with the PSC and the Philippine Amateur Baseball Association (PABA), is further expanding the complex with the construction of a baseball and softball diamond, reinforcing MCC’s role as a multi-sport hub.

Together, these facilities position the MCC not only as a venue capable of hosting large-scale competitions but also as a training ground for the next generation of athletes in Mindanao.

“People will realize that we don’t only host events in Manila. We go outside of Metro Manila, we go to the Visayas, we go to Mindanao. The focus also is to develop regional training centers. When you upgrade facilities in the provinces, it’s an opportunity to host as well,’’ said Gregorio.

The MCC previously hosted the 2003 Palarong Pambansa and is being positioned as a regional training center for football, baseball, and other sports.

The twin initiatives—the NAS satellite campus proposal and the hosting of the Mindanao Youth Games—signal Lanao del Norte’s ambition to transform into a premier sports destination in Mindanao.