13/09/2026
๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ ๐ข๐ ๐๐ก๐ง
๐๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐ต ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ฃ๐ฎ๐น
via John Jeremy Boncalo
Photo by: Cloe Bautista
โIn the game of chess, a pawn can be anything if it keeps going forward.โ
As the sun pierces through the clouds, pawns, rooks, bishops, knights, queens, and kings stand firm on sixty-four black and white squares, as hands bonded with determination, perseverance, and the will to fight reach down and grasp them before placing them down with a loud thud.
On September 11, the sight of students, public and private alike, with hearts burning with the desire to win, stepped onto the grounds of the Multi-purpose Building of Marikina located at Barangay Taรฑong.
They treated the venue as their very own battlefield to seize victory at the Division Palaro of 2026, picking out the cream of the crop to represent Marikina City in the National Capital Region Palaro.
As the game starts, participants shake hands before waging a black-and-white war, where cleverness, strategies, and thought-out moves prevail.
Timers and pens click, minds think, while the audience doesnโt blink.
They gaze upon every thought, every moment, and every move, as their hands press down on the glass surface, separated from the contenders, watching through a glass door with hands crossed.
Every player triumphs, and no one loses, because every player makes one more move, even when winning isnโt guaranteed, and perhaps, that is true triumph.
Throughout the matches, students from familiar or unfamiliar, the same or different schools, joined forces to be the one on top.
But one team truly stood out. Ferrer Lloyd Dustin, Zeyus Del Mundo, and Jesse Rox Borras from Marikina Private Schools Association (MARIPRISA) brought honor to their name, school, and parents.
They managed to snag 1st place with a total of 11 points, showing true determination and showcasing breathtaking skills and experience.
With the secondary queens, deemed as one of the most powerful chess pieces, they showed their own set of talents, matching the experience and skills of the kings, showing that they deserve a spot on the divisionโs roster.
Keith Angela Balais, Monique Kathleen Gustillo, and Adrienne Leiasha Napay made the audience's jaws drop with their immense array of unpredictable and thought-out plays.
They managed to claim the podium with 10 points total, proving that they are truly worthy of representing their own beloved town.
But not only secondary students can showcase jaw-dropping talents; the elementary kings also fought back and leveled with their seniors, proving their worthiness of the title and honor to represent Marikina.
Caiden Dellera and Harvey Abelardo Andrada grasped the gold medal and the title of 1st place, with a total of 10 and a half points.
With their still-growing bodies, they hid true potential and talent within their hearts and brains, ready to adapt and grow to showcase their full potential and bring joy to those who believed in them.
Athena Mae Luatick and Elizabeth Hapita from the Elementary Girls shone brighter than the other stars that surrounded them. With a total of 8 points, they snagged 1st place, proving that they are as worthy as their seniors to hold the responsibility and title.
They showcased true talent and skills honed with days of continuous practice, fueled by the desire to improve.
Showcasing true Marikeรฑo talent, they managed to avoid the crowd, think independently, and become the chess player, not the chess piece.
