Ilocos Sur will play host to the comeback of the Batang Pinoy-Philippine Youth Games in December which will be held under a hybrid setup, the Philippine Sports Commission said yesterday.

The memorandum of agreement was signed by PSC chairpersom Emmanuel "Noli" Eala and Ilocos Sur governor Jeremias Singson at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex with PSC executive director Atty. Guillermo Iroy also in attendance.

There will be a total of 1,830 medals up for grabs from 17 to 22 December that will mark the first time the sportsfest will be held in three years.

Last time it was held, Baguio emerged as the overall champion when the event was held in Cebu City with a gold-silver-medal tally of 61-45-70.

As usual, hostilities in archery, athletics, badminton, chess, cycling, table-tennis, swimming and weightlifting will be done on site although obstacle course will be classified as a demo sport.

But this year's edition will feature virtual competitions in arnis, dancesport, judo, karate, Muay, pencak silat, taekwondo and wushu and only non-combat events will be conducted.

"This is not a full version of the Batang Pinoy just yet because we are still recovering from the pandemic. We are still taking precautions and we're following the protocols in Ilocos Sur," Eala said.

"This will be an exciting time for young athletes and we certainly hope that this will finally give them an opportunity to compete, interact and be part of the community of young athletes that will be part of their holistic development as healthy citizens of this country."

Around 7,000 participants will join in the event for kids 10 to 15 years of age.

It was in the Batang Pinoy that world champion gymnast Carlos Yulo was discovered.