CCDC’s Charles Johnson Calawen Named Best Male Wrestler at 2025 Palarong Pambansa

Charles Johnson Calawen of Cordillera Career Development College (CCDC) made the Cordillera region proud by securing the gold medal in the 62 kg wrestling category, the sole gold medalist from Benguet contributing to CAR’s gold medal haul, at the 2025 Palarong Pambansa, held in Laoag, Ilocos Norte.

Further, he stands out among hundreds of athletes, as he was honored as the Best Wrestler of the entire Palarong Pambansa—a testament to his exceptional skill and dedication to the sport.

A standout athlete from the Benguet Stingers and a Grade 11 student at the CCDC Senior High School Department, Calawen dominated the mat with unmatched power, skill, and determination. 

Also, Calawen received a certificate of recognition from the Department of Education, Office of the Governor at La Trinidad, Benguet, for bringing pride to the province. 

While Calawen was joined by Hart Jason Benwasen of Sablan National High School and Ayesha Raven Bantasan of Benguet National High School, who each earned bronze medals in wrestling.

Baguio City was among the top five best-performing divisions, earning 16 golds, 10 silvers, and 6 bronzes. This strong performance contributed to the Cordillera Administrative Region’s (CAR) sixth-place overall finish, driven largely by its dominance in combat sports such as Taekwondo, Wushu, Wrestling, and Archery. The CAR delegation collected a total of 41 medals: 17 golds, 13 silvers, and 11 bronzes.

Meanwhile, the National Capital Region (NCR) retained its championship title, followed by CALABARZON in second place, Western Visayas in third, Davao Region in fourth, Northern Mindanao in fifth, and host region Ilocos Region in twelfth place overall.

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