The municipal officials of Murcia, headed by Mayor Gerry Rojas, Vice Mayor Johnny Reosura and the Sangguniang Bayan members, honored the Murciahanon student athletes who bagged medals in their respective events during the recently concluded Negros Island Region Athletic Association Meet (NIRAAM) 2026 hosted by Bacolod City.
“Warmest congratulations to our athletes and their parents, and also to the coaches and supporters! We are proud of what our athletes have achieved! We recognize the discipline and hard work which you have invested to excel in your chosen field of sports. May your continued efforts and training propel you to greater heights in the upcoming Palarong Pambansa 2026!,” Rojas said to the athletes and coaches.
Among the gold medal winners were the Murcia Open Bible Christian Academy (MOBCA) representing the Province of Negros Occidental, which was the champion in volleyball secondary boys. The team is coached by Gilbert Tandoy, assisted by Ronelo Borromeo.
The MOBCA Volleyball Team also snared numerous individual awards, namely Most Valuable Player (Kristoff Tequillo), Best Setter (Cedric Von Dale Delina), Best Libero (Anjo Romualdez), Best Outside Hitter (Justine Barrientos and Kristoff Tequillo) and Best Middle Blocker (RJ Geronca – 1st and Algerie Caratao Jr. – 2nd).
MOBCA’s baseball elementary – boys, coached by Leocila Ibañez with Leah Atibagos, and softball elementary – girls, coached by Gemma Guanzon with Edna Mae Severino, emerged as the NIRAAM champions.
The MOBCA’s softbelles also won individual awards, namely Most Valuable Player (Jamella de Guzman), Most Stolen Bases (Kathleen Joy Alindao), Best Slugger (Kathleen Joy Alindao), and RBI or Runs Batted In (Krystel Cynth Severino).
Anyssa Joyce Diga of Minoyan Elementary School led the individual winners with seven medals in elementary girls swimming. Coached by Cynthia Javier, the Minoyan based tanker bagged four gold medals in 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 4x50m free style relay and 4x100m freestyle relay. She also won three silver medals in 50m backstroke, 100m backstroke and 200m freestyle.
In the other individual events, Mikan Moncada, coached by Kenneth Punzalan, bagged the gold in sepak takraw, while wrestlers Joven Olindang and April Jhon Sustento, coached by Caleb Cabalfin, also took home gold medals. Arnisador Rainer de Jesus, coached by Jayjay Tarnane, settled for silver, while Michael Angelo Alintana and Princess Lyka Lastre secured bronze medals in modern standard dance sport.
Gold medalists will represent the province of Negros Occidental in the Palarong Pambansa slated May 24-31 at Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur. In some cases, silver medalists are also tapped as alternates for the gold medal winners.*
