SPORTS NEWS | PUP eyes June-July launch for first-ever Summer Sports Fest 2026

In what could be a historic first, the organizers of Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) University Intramurals (UI) are considering to launch the highly anticipated local sports event during the June and July window. 

Sports Development Program Office (SDPO) Chief Wendell Padilla told The Communicator that organizers are currently evaluating two schedule proposals, calculating whether to start the initial part of the games on June 23 (plan A) or run the event from July to August (plan B), which will both culminate in October.

According to him, the upcoming commencement will only include Main Campus colleges and selected sports events such as men's basketball, men's and women's volleyball, badminton, pickleball, e-sports, and chess.

The October leg will include all PUP System campuses and the winners from the main campus tournaments. While a traditional opening ceremony remains part of the program, the sports office chief said the committee notes that the format may be adjusted to align with the new summer schedule.

The proactive measure was designed to address an enduring issue of facility shortages to ensure that the university can effectively prepare for the Philippine University Games (Unigames) 2026 and the State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association - National Capital Region (SCUAA-NCR) competitions, with the assistance of the University Center for Culture and the Arts (UCCA) in October.

The calendar adjustment also came as a result of the early start of PUP’s academic year 2026-2027, which Padilla relayed as efforts to better manage the academic workload of student-athletes away from the traditional “ber months” schedule that coincides with the university’s founding anniversary celebration.

Padilla, who is currently overseeing the collaborative effort spearheaded this year by SDPO, the College of Human Kinetics (CHK), and the Sentral na Konseho ng Mag-aaral (SKM), said there are also discussions of renaming it as "Summer Sports Fest 2026.”

While formal internal designations for the event committee are still being finalized, the organizational framework is already in motion, with communication lines being established across various student councils.

Meanwhile, a mandatory medical clearance period for all participating athletes has been set from June 23 to July 7.

​Beyond fostering camaraderie, the sports fest serves as a critical talent pipeline. While the university has already concluded its "Entrance Athlete Scholar" tryouts for incoming freshmen this past April and May, the sports event will function as a primary venue for identifying and recruiting regular students into the varsity training program.

Article: Rhada Amarila

Graphics: Yvonne Gacillos