By Edwin Rollon
GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Team Baguio’s archers hit the bullseye, capturing 10 gold medals — including a rare triple from 12-year-old Jianna Rae Delos Reyes — as the City of Pines surged to the top of the leaderboard, overtaking overnight leader Team Manila in Day 3 of the 2025 Batang Pinoy National Finals here on Tuesday.
Baguio City amassed a total of 49 medals (23 gold, 11 silver, 15 bronze) to edge ahead of Team Manila (15-15-13, 43 total), defending overall champion Pasig City (14-9-22, 45), Quezon City (13-11-17, 41), and host General Santos City (8-3-2, 13).
The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) organized the multi-sport national championship in partnership with the City Government of General Santos, under the leadership of Mayor Lorelie Pacquiao.
Delos Reyes, a proud product of the AIM Baguio Archery Club, dominated the girls’ 12-under compound event with 346 points in the first distance and 334 in the second for a total of 680 — sparking Baguio’s dominant opening-day campaign at the Notre Dame of Dadiangas University.
Teammate Jephtha Caleb Fernandez followed with a commanding performance in the boys’ 14-under compound, winning both distances with scores of 324 and 319 for a total of 643 against Davao City’s Justin Phil.
Other gold medalists for Baguio were Jalorrae Lictao (girls’ 14-under recurve), Kester Delos Reyes (boys’ 17-under compound), Ryzen Keith Viduya (boys’ 17-under compound), and Precious Laking (girls’ 14-under compound).
Abigail Jane Lim of Davao City also stood out with a triple-gold sweep in the girls’ 17-under compound category.
Baguio likewise struck gold in judo, with Joseph Joven and Jan Samuel Dino winning their respective cadet classes, while Josh Mayuga ruled the juvenile boys’ division. The Mayor Magalong-backed squad also took home the juvenile boys’ team gold (Zack Laurence Berol, Kailer Oropeza, Yiannos Bacaltos, and Josh Mayuga) and the juvenile girls’ team title (Joy Albon, Romina Macaspac, Chloe Maskay, and Sofia Benbenen).
Over at Albert Morrow Boulevard, Precious Faye Hindap of Iloilo City dominated cycling, pocketing two gold medals in the girls’ 16–17 individual road race (45.66 km) with a time of 1:19:53, ahead of Iloilo’s Yvonne Alejado and Ormoc City’s Sheila Marie Rapada. It was Hindap’s second gold after topping the individual time trial (ITT) on Monday.
In the boys’ division, Nathaniel Aquino of Pasig City ruled the same event in 2:10:24, defeating Aldren John Decafe of Iloilo and Roy Benedict Plastina of Makati City.
At the Acharon Swimming Center, Philippine Aquatics, Inc. (PAI) age-group regulars also made waves—Liv Abigail Florendo of Quezon City and Ashton Clyde Jose of Sta. Rosa emerged as a double-gold winner.
Florendo ruled the girls’ 14–15 200m individual medley (2:35.59) and 200m backstroke, while Jose swept the boys’ 200m IM and 200m breaststroke.
Other swimming gold medalists included Pauline Beatrice Obebe of Quezon City (girls’ 50m freestyle), Taylor Brooke Saliba of Olongapo (boys’ 16–17 100m breaststroke), and Gabriel Medenilla of Pasig (boys’ 16–17 100m freestyle).
