The Iriga City Sports Center in Sta. Cruz Sur came alive last May 8 and 9, 2026, as the City Government of Iriga, in partnership with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) and the Go Kim Ta (GKT) Club, hosted the two-day SBP Grassroots Program, bringing world-class basketball development to the youth of Iriga City and the Bicol Region.
The event was spearheaded by SBP Executive Director Ms. Erika Dy and SBP Zone 5 Director for Bicol Region Engr. Solomon Ngo, who welcomed distinguished guests and multi-titled coaches Norman Black, Larry Fonacier, and Beaujing Acot. Mayor Rex C. Oliva led the city government’s participation in the landmark event, reflecting the local government’s strong commitment to nurturing young athletic talent and supporting grassroots sports development in Iriga City.
The two-day program featured a series of activities including a combine, scrimmages, a kids clinic, and a coaches seminar, providing a comprehensive development experience for young athletes and their mentors alike. More than 40 children from across the region participated in the kids clinic, where they went through drills and scrimmages under the guidance of some of the most accomplished names in Philippine basketball.
The highlight of the event was the Bicol Elite Camp, which brought together thirty-five boys and twenty-nine girls, all in the 16-and-Under age category, who were personally handled by the three distinguished coaches. The participants were selected from across the Bicol Region through regional tryouts held at the Go Kim Ta Memorial Court in San Nicolas, Iriga City, making the camp a gathering of the region’s most promising young basketball talent under one roof.
Also in attendance were the coaching staff of the CamSur Express, led by Coach Genesius Molto, Jr., and members of the Go Kim Ta Club, whose continued dedication to organizing premier basketball events in Bicol has earned the club its well-deserved reputation as the region’s foremost basketball organization.
The successful staging of the SBP Grassroots Program is consistent with the city government’s thrust to establish Iriga City as the sports capital of the Bicol Region. By attracting events of this caliber and providing the venue and institutional support needed to make them happen, Iriga City is steadily building the foundations of a sports culture that is inclusive, competitive, and regionally significant. Hosting the SBP Grassroots Program, with its complement of elite coaches, regional talent, and national-level programming, is a strong statement of what the city is becoming, and what it intends to be.
Source: Lungsod Ng Iriga