TACLOBAN CITY – Ormoc City reaffirmed its dominance in the Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association (EVRAA) Meet, securing the overall championship for the fifth consecutive year.
The Department of Education (DepEd) Ormoc City Division swept nearly all sports categories, winning an impressive 210 gold, 134 silver, and 68 bronze medals.
Leyte 4th District Representative Richard Gomez credited the city’s continued success to dedicated coaches and trainers, who worked with the athletes three months before the competition. He also emphasized the role of high-quality sports facilities and equipment in their preparation.
However, despite Ormoc’s overwhelming victory, Gomez acknowledged the need for improvement in certain events, particularly in athletics, which had one of the largest medal hauls in the annual sporting event.
“Despite being number one again this year, we see areas where we need to improve. There are sports where Ormoc is still struggling, and we will work on strengthening those in the coming months,” Gomez said.
With the EVRAA Meet now concluded, DepEd Eastern Visayas will shift its focus to training athletes for the 2025 Palarong Pambansa, set for May in Ilocos Norte.
DepEd Assistant Regional Director Ronilo Al Firmo stated that preparations are underway, with intensive training camps planned for those selected to represent the region.
“Our goal is to maintain or improve our performance at the Palarong Pambansa. Based on our assessment, many of our athletes have strong potential to win gold, and a significant number have met the qualifying standards set by the Central Office,” Firmo said.
During the closing ceremony on Saturday, March 8, DepEd Regional Director Evelyn Fetalvero urged the athletes to stay focused and strive for excellence in the national games.
“As we close this chapter of the 2025 EVRAA, I encourage every athlete to keep training, keep pushing for excellence, and set your sights on the ultimate prize—the Palarong Pambansa in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte,” Fetalvero said.
She also called on local government units (LGUs) to continue supporting EVRAA winners who will represent Eastern Visayas on the national stage.
Final Medal Tally – EVRAA 2025
Ormoc City – 210 gold, 134 silver, 68 bronze (champion); Leyte Division – 72 gold, 48 silver, 57 bronze;Maasin City – 29 gold, 32 silver, 26 bronze; Baybay City (2026 host) – 22 gold, 35 silver, 51 bronze; Tacloban City – 22 gold, 35 silver, 47 bronze; Calbayog City (2027 host) – 16 gold, 23 silver, 35 bronze (Most Improved Division – from 9th place in 2024); Samar Division – 14 gold, 26 silver, 76 bronze; Eastern Samar – 13 gold, 20 silver, 41 bronze; Northern Samar – 8 gold, 29 silver, 31 bronze; Southern Leyte – 7 gold, 25 silver, 30 bronze; Catbalogan City – 3 gold, 9 silver, 31 bronze; Borongan City – 3 gold, 4 silver, 9 bronze; and Biliran Province – 1 gold, 3 silver, 21 bronze.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
