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Philippine Sports Commission chairman Pato Gregorio  with sepaktakraw officials, February 25, 2026 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium Media Hall. Paige Javier, ABS-CBN News

Philippine Sports Commission chairman Pato Gregorio  with sepaktakraw officials, February 25, 2026 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium Media Hall.

Article (news)

sepaktakraw

Paige Javier

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1772017017157viber_image_2026-02-25_18-43-19-631.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Philippine Sports Commission chairman Pato Gregorio with sepaktakraw officials, February 25, 2026 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium Media Hall. Paige Javier, ABS-CBN News" width="960"/>Philippine Sports Commission chairman Pato Gregorio  with sepaktakraw officials, February 25, 2026 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium Media Hall. Paige Javier, ABS-CBN News</div>MANILA – The Philippines is gearing up to host the maiden ASTAF U19 Asian Sepaktakraw Championship 2026, among many international tournaments to be held in the country this year.  Over 600 young athletes aged between 15 and 17 years old from 10 to 12 nations will be competing in the event that will feature men’s and women’s events in regu, quad, and mixed quadrant categories.  But for the Philippine Sepaktakraw Association Inc. (PSTAI), the event is more than just hosting a world-class competition. It&#x27;s about finding more young sepaktakraw talent and transforming the image of the sport in the country. The PSTAI is already working with the 70 local sepaktakraw clubs in the country and regional directors in selecting the national team for the competition.  &quot;So as we speak, we are already in motion coordinating with all the clubs and regional directors across the country to ensure that talents are all considered. So there will be a lot of inter-town, inter-barangay,&quot; PSTAI President Karen Tanchanco-Caballero said during the press conference at the Rizal Memorial Stadium Media Hall on Wednesday. &quot;But we&#x27;re also collecting the CV already of these kids. We know them from a few years ago in Palarong Pambansa, Batang Pinoy. So we already know them but we still want to dig deeper and see more talents,&quot; she added. The PSTAI chief said it&#x27;s an honor for the country to host the maiden ASTAF U19 Asian Sepaktakraw Championship, winning the rights last December 2025. &quot;We had a meeting in Bangkok, Thailand [last] December with different leaders from different countries and they&#x27;re very excited that finally there is really a big event that&#x27;s specific for the youth of sepak,&quot; Tanchanco-Caballero shared. &quot;So it wasn&#x27;t challenging for us to encourage the invitation and support of Asian countries of sepaktakraw to send their best youth athletes to compete in our event. So this is big and special because of course, as you know we take so much pride in hosting,&quot; she said. International Sepaktakraw Federation Deputy President and Asian Sepaktakraw Federation Deputy Secretary General Muhammad Fariq Abdul Halim said he is satisfied with the preparations of the local organizing committee, aligning with the plans for long-term development of the sport. &quot;This U19 vision is not just a platform for them to compete like adults. This is a start for the Asian Sepaktakraw Federation, International Sepaktakraw Federation, for us to elevate the youth who will be the leaders of sepaktakraw and those champions,&quot; he said. &quot;How can we make a career path for the athlete using this U19 as a platform and maybe we can go into professional Sepaktakraw League in the Philippines... I&#x27;m saying that this U19 is a start. It&#x27;s a major for us, not only concentrating on those national players which has always been participating,&quot; Halim added. <div> </div><div>TOP FOUR AT LEAST FOR TEAM PH?</div>The ISTAF and ASTAF official believes the Philippines, with the right support, can reach the top ranks of the sport in the region. &quot;So if you want to ask me whether the Philippines are the top five [in Asia], I say yes... And now with Quadrant, they can be the next champion if the proper training and education given to all the athletes, plus the mental preparedness and readiness. That&#x27;s the most important,&quot; Halim said. &quot;If we have a proper program with the support of PSC, I don&#x27;t think so Filipino Sepaktakraw Association will have problem to grab at least top four medal. I&#x27;m saying top four medal,&quot; he added. Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Patrick Gregorio underscored the importance of hosting international events to help boost the sport and tourism in the country. &quot;I think it&#x27;s really high time to promote this sport in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia. During the Sports Minister&#x27;s Forum and Convention Summit in Vietnam last October, we also discussed the possibility of really developing sepaktakraw as an ASEAN sport,&quot; he said. &quot;I talked to a few sports ministers there from Brunei and of course a good friend from Indonesia. They said that they&#x27;re very excited. And if there&#x27;s an opportunity to showcase sepaktakraw in the Philippines by hosting this sport here in the Philippines, then let&#x27;s do it,&quot; Gregorio added. The PSC chief highlighted the potential of the country in the sport, with about 10,000 kids all over the Philippines playing sepaktakraw. &quot;How can you take that away from these young kids who love the sport? Nararapat lang na suportahan natin itong sport na ito. Kaya natin gumaling dito. And I&#x27;m sure you all agree with me, this is a beautiful sport,&quot; Gregorio said. The tournament will be held at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila, which will also undergo renovation, to benefit not just sepaktakraw but other sports. &quot;So this is just the first of the many, but we will be the first one to fix it, make it really nice and ready. But future NSAs, other sports who wish to host an international event will be ensured that the very iconic and historic Rizal Memorial Coliseum will be ready to really accept world-class sporting event,&quot; Tanchanco-Caballero said. When the national team for the competition gets formed in July, the young athletes will join the senior team in the regional training center in Bukidnon for training. &quot;Since this is the maiden, this is everyone&#x27;s ballgame. But of course, high expectations will be put because we will be, we are being very strategic in terms of training the U-19 national athletes that we will be, who will be competing in this,&quot; Tanchanco-Caballero said. &quot;So, the fact that we are making them join the Team A in the isolation training camp, they will have the exposure of being trained by international coaches with sparring teams from other countries. We mean business,&quot; she added. The ASTAF U19 Asian Sepaktakraw Championship 2026 is scheduled to run from November 18 to 24, 2026.

The Philippines is gearing up to host the maiden ASTAF U19 Asian Sepaktakraw Championship 2026, among many international tournaments to be held in the country this year.

The Philippines is gearing up to host the maiden ASTAF U19 Asian Sepaktakraw Championship 2026, among many international tournaments to be held in the country this year.

PH aims to find young talent, shine light on sepaktakraw with hosting of U-19 Asian Sepaktakraw Championship

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PH aims to find young talent, shine light on sepaktakraw with hosting of U-19 Asian Sepaktakraw Championship

Paige Javier,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 25, 2026 07:09 PM PHT

Read More:

Sepaktakraw

Philippine Sepaktakraw Association Inc.

Asian Sepaktakraw Federation

ASTAF U19 Asian Sepaktakraw Championship

Philippine Sports Commission

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