It will be a battle for the best-of-the-best Filipina martial artists as the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) holds the 8th edition of the Women’s Martial Arts Festival starting this Saturday, November 12 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.
“This is very special for us since it will be the first major Women in Sports program under my watch since I was appointed as a Commissioner of the PSC. Also, this is the time that we will be opening our sports facilities again for our major event this month since the pandemic,” PSC oversight Commissioner Olivia “Bong” Coo said.
Among the top national athletes to look out for in the six-day sportsfest are World Taekwondo and Southeast Asian Games champion Jocel Ninobla, 2021 IFMA World Muaythai Championships double gold medalist Islay Erika Bomogao, 19th World Pencak Silat silver medalist Hannah Mae Ibutnande, SEA Games Pencak Silat queen Francine Padios, among others.
Grappler Jiah Pingot who won silver medals in 2019 and 2021 SEA Games, and hold titles in the National Championships and previous edition of the Women’s Festival is also joining the wrestling competition
Former SEA Games and Asian Games medalist Cherry Mae Regalado will also be returning to the competition stage, as one of the title contenders.
PSC Chairman Jose Emmanuel “Noli” Eala is expected to grace the opening ceremonies on Saturday at 10:00 AM in RMC, Manila.
All events, including the opening ceremonies, will be streamed live on the PSC and PSC-Women’s Martial Arts Festival Facebook pages.
There are 11 sports to be played in the November 12 to November 17 martial arts festival with nine (9) regular sports namely: Pencak Silat, Wrestling, Sambo, Taekwondo, Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Karate, Jiu Jitsu, and Kurash, and two (2) demonstration sports including Arnis and Judo. All the events will be played simultaneously in Rizal Memorial Coliseum (RMC), PSC Multipurpose Gym (formerly known as Ninoy Aquino Stadium) and Philippine Judo Federation Dojo, which are all PSC-operated facilities inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex (RMSC) in Malate, Manila.
GO21 Incorporated supports the event by providing snacks for the opening and closing ceremonies while Pocari Sweat – Otsuka Solar Philippines Incorporated remains as a partner of the project.