THE 2026 National Festival of Talents (NFOT) brought together more than 900 student participants, along with hundreds of teacher-coaches, education supervisors, and national officials, highlighting strong collaboration across the education sector.

On Sunday, Education Secretary Sonny Angara underscored the significance of the NFOT, emphasizing the government’s push to expand opportunities for learners to develop skills aligned with future careers.

Held at the Dinggoy Roxas Civic Center, the annual festival gathered top student performers from across the country, with representatives from 18 regions taking part in a weeklong showcase of excellence in technical-vocational, artistic, and academic fields.

Learners from both public and private schools are participating in the event, demonstrating mastery through performance-based outputs and real-world applications of their skills.

“Here at the National Festival of Talents, we not only celebrate artistry, but also give equal value to science and technology, recognizing creativity in all its forms,” Angara said in his keynote speech.

He added that the festival serves not only as a competition but also as a platform for listening to the ideas and insights of Filipino youth.

“We will be listening to the ideas of our young people here today on how to confront the challenges of the future,” he said.

Angara also noted that learners are gaining more opportunities to translate their talents into future careers, citing ongoing efforts to strengthen senior high school pathways and expand partnerships with industries to provide real-world exposure.

Hosted by Roxas City, the festival is expected to culminate in a series of exhibitions and presentations highlighting the country’s push to develop future-ready and globally competitive learners.

This year’s NFOT features diverse competitions, including DokyuWento for documentary-making, the Literary Cup for oral narrative reconstruction, and Savor D’ Flavor, which integrates food preservation with foreign language skills.