President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. inspired thousands of young athletes at the opening of the 65th Palarong Pambansa on Saturday, emphasizing the importance of sportsmanship and the true meaning of victory—whether in winning or losing.

In his speech at Ferdinand E. Marcos Memorial Stadium, Laoag, Ilocos Norte, the President stressed that winning is not solely about medals but about building character.

“Higit sa pagkapanalo, mas mahalagang matutunan ninyo ang disiplina, ang halaga ng pakikipagkaibigan, at ang mag-enjoy naman sa inyong favorite sport—manalo man o matalo,” President Marcos told the student-athletes who gathered from all over the country to compete in the week-long games.

President Marcos also encouraged the youth to embrace resilience and perseverance in the face of setbacks and to overcome challenges.

“Tandaan ninyo: Ang taong lumalaban, hindi natatalo. Losers are those who fail to try. Winners are those who try, and maybe they fail, but then, they try again and do not stop trying until they win and succeed,” advised the President.

Organized annually by the Department of Education (DepEd), this year’s Palarong Pambansa gathered over 15,000 student-athletes from 18 regions, the National Academy of Sports, and Philippine schools overseas.

During the week-long event, which is scheduled from May 25 to 30, the young athletes will compete in 34 sports disciplines, including para-games and demonstration sports.

The closing ceremony will be held on May 31.

This year’s theme, “Nagkakaisang Kapuluan,” reflects the spirit of unity and cooperation among the nation’s youth, also advocated by President Marcos. | PND