NCR braces for Palaro medal surge, SOCCSKSARGEN still on top

By Mark Manez

VIGAN, Ilocos Sur - Reigning Palaro title holders National Capital Region inched closer to reclaiming pole position as they picked up their fourth gold medal in the secondary boys - chess blitz event, Tuesday afternoon.

Julius Gonzales became the region's fourth gold medalist in the ongoing games as he registered six points en route to the golden finish.

Gonzales is tied with Central Visayas' Chris Aldritz Pondoyo on points, but he emerged the winner by tiebreak criteria. Calabarzon's Daniel Quizon added another bronze for his region.

Gonzales teamed up Jethro Dino Aquino to claim silver in the Team Blitz event. Central Visayas' Pondoyo and Jeremy Tandura took home gold with 10.5 points. Calabarzon's Quizon and Michael Concio Jr. claimed bronze.

As of 4:11 p.m., SOCCSKSARGEN is still hanging tough on top of the medal tally with six golds, three silvers and five bronze medals.

Western Visayas is now sitting second with four gold, five silver and as many bronze medals under their tally.

NCR slid back to third, showing four golds, the same number of silvers and two bronze medals.

Northern Mindanao made huge strides as they collected four gold, three silver and two bronze medals, enough to sit at fourth spot.

Calabarzon rounds up the Top 5 with their four gold, two silver and 11 bronze medals in their belts.

Completing the tally are: Central Visayas (4-2-3), CAR, (3-4-1), Cagayan Valley (3-1-1), Davao Region (2-2-0), hosts Ilocos Region (2-1-1), Bicol (1-5-4), Mimaropa (1-3-1), Central Luzon (0-1-1), Zamboanga Peninsula (0-1-1), and Caraga (0-1-0).

Only Eastern Visayas and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao are still hunting for their elusive first medals in this year's Palaro.

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