Dumaguete city: The Philippine Sports Commission has pledged support to Dumaguete City, which is rapidly carving its identity as the pickleball capital of the Philippines.

According to Philippines News Agency, with more than 300 courts spread across the city and thousands more throughout Negros Oriental, the sport has become a vibrant part of community life, uniting generations, families, and neighborhoods. PSC Chair John Patrick Gregorio stated that the support will ensure Dumaguete's rise in pickleball is matched by the development of world-class facilities for other sports, including football, track and field, and archery.

"This is how we build pathways from grassroots to gold, and from gold to greatness," Gregorio remarked. He added that Dumaguete could serve as a model for how local governments can embrace new sports while strengthening traditional ones. "Pickleball here is not just recreation. It is community, health, and competition rolled into one," Gregorio said during the 'Handog ng Pangulo' service caravan in Dumaguete City Monday, an event marking the 69th birthday of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

The caravan included a wide range of initiatives like healthcare, jobs, and livelihood programs to support farmers, fisherfolk, and small businesses, alongside expanded opportunities for workers and students. Gregorio delivered the President's birthday message before thousands gathered at the Dumaguete City Hall Forecourt, emphasizing the administration's commitment to bringing government services closer to the people across cities and provinces nationwide.

Dumaguete City Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria highlighted the suitability of pickleball for the local population, stating, "We have an aging population here in Dumaguete as well as in the province, so pickleball is a perfect sport for us." A total of 53 government departments, agencies, and offices joined the 'Handog ng Pangulo' caravan for Negros Oriental.