LA TRINIDAD, Philippines — The province of Benguet is shifting into high gear to host the Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association (CARAA) Meet for the second consecutive year, provincial and education officials announced Monday.
Following a successful 2025 run, Governor Melchor Diclas confirmed during a flag-raising ceremony that the region’s premier sporting event will return to Benguet from Feb. 22–27, 2026. The back-to-back hosting reaffirms the province’s commitment to sports development and regional unity.
“We are rallying the support of every Benguet resident for another successful hosting,” Diclas said specifically calling on the province’s Southeast Asian Games medalists to inspire the next generation of competitors.
The announcement was followed by a high-level coordination meeting between the Benguet Provincial Local Government Unit and the Department of Education-Cordillera Administrative Region (DepEd-CAR). Led by Diclas and DepEd-CAR regional director Estela Leon-Cariño, the session focused on the massive logistics required to house and manage an estimated 7,000 student-athletes, officials, and guests.
The weeklong event will draw delegates from the provinces of Abra, Apayao, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, and Benguet, as well as the cities of Baguio and Tabuk.
To manage the influx, officials are reprising a clustered hosting model where the 13 municipalities of Benguet share the responsibility of welcoming delegations.
Key priorities discussed in the meeting include billeting and facilities, safety and security, and logistics. Leon-Cariño meanwhile emphasized that the goal for 2026 is to exceed the benchmarks set during the previous year.
“This proactive readiness assessment lays the groundwork for a well-organized meet—one that upholds the values of sportsmanship and Cordilleran pride,” Leon-Cariño said.
Vice Governor Marie Rose Fongwan-Kepes and assistant regional director Ronald Castillo joined the call for a unified front, stressing that the event’s success hinges on seamless inter-agency coordination between the provincial government, municipal mayors, and the private sector. NLMonitor