CAGAYAN de Oro City — About 2,500 of the country’s top taekwondo athletes will converge at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila on September 5-6 for the 2026 Philippine Taekwondo Association (PTA) Best of the Best Taekwondo Championships.
The national tournament gives athletes from grassroots programs, schools, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police and other top taekwondo groups a chance to test themselves against some of the country’s strongest competitors.
For athletes eyeing a spot in the national pool, the competition also provides an important platform as the Philippines builds toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The Philippines last won an Olympic taekwondo medal at the 1992 Barcelona Games, when Stephen Fernandez and Bea Lucero each earned bronze.
The two-day competition will feature Kyorugi (sparring) at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum and Poomsae (forms) at the Rizal Taekwondo Training Center.
Events will cover Senior, Junior, Cadet, Grade School and Toddler divisions for male and female competitors. Poomsae events will include individual, team, pair and freestyle categories.
Matches will use electronic body protectors, smart socks and instant video replay to help officials make scoring and judging decisions.
Competition starts at 9 a.m. on both days, giving families, young athletes and taekwondo fans an opportunity to watch the country's leading jins compete.
The event also honors sports advocate and PLDT Chairman Manny V. Pangilinan for his decade of support for grassroots sports development and Filipino athletes.
