Mayor Greg Gasataya said that, for the first time, Bacolod Division athletes will bypass the Provincial Meet and directly advance to the regional level, with the highly-urbanized city set to host the inaugural Negros Island Region Athletics Association (NIRAA) Meet in February 2026.
This will mark a major milestone for the city’s sports development program, the mayor said, adding that, in another first, the 902 athletes, who will comprise Bacolod’s delegation to the NIRAA, will each receive a daily allowance of P300 during their intensive 30-day training prior to the competition.
This is the first time the local government has allocated a budget specifically for athlete’s allowance, the city said in a press release Dec. 2.
“For the first time, all our athletes in Bacolod will automatically proceed to the regionals and will not go through the provincial meet, as the city’s way to show support to our sports programs,” Gasataya announced during the opening ceremony of the 2025 Division Athletic Association Meet Dec. 2 at the University of Negros Occidental–Recoletos Amphitheater, attended by 2,978 delegates composed of athletes, coaches, and technical officials.
The Division Meet, ongoing until Dec. 5, features competitions in 29 sporting events, with participants coming from eight districts in the elementary level, and five in the secondary level. It serves as the primary selection tournament for Bacolod’s regional delegation.
To strengthen the city’s campaign for regional excellence, Gasataya said the city will provide complete training gear, playing uniforms, and athletic shoes. “We have to give our best. That is why the city will support you in any way that we can, as much as we can, to ensure that Bacolod will be the home of the next Olympic gold medalist.”
The city is pushing to be designated as the Regional Training Center for Gymnastics and Archery, aligned with the administration’s long-term vision for sports excellence, with focus on grassroots sports development and in strengthening sports tourism. ||
