Bicol was the very first region to establish an interprovincial athletics competitions among public schools in 1904 after the then Bureau of Education encouraged the conduct of such, forming the Southern Luzon Athletic Association (SLAA). Albay, Sorsogon and Masbate were the original competitors during the first meet in Sorsogon in April 1905. Ambos Camarines joined the association in 1906. Central Luzon followed suit forming the Central Luzon Athletic Association in 1907 and the Manila Interscholastic Athletic Association was organized a year later.

        Of the 54 Palaro games played from 1948 until 2006, only Naga City has hosted this event thrice in a span of ten years.

        Naga City, together with the province of Camarines Sur, first hosted this biggest sporting spectacle in 1997.

        When Naga city and Camarines Sur bidded for the 1997 Palarong Pambansa in General Santos City in 1996, playing venues and public places both in General Santos and Koronadal, South Cotabato were literally wrapped with posters and streamers showing the eagerness of the Bikolanos to host the Palaro. Printed on them were the words “Give Bicol a Chance”, begging that the annual sports event be held in the Bicol Region. Those cries were not ignored, when Metro naga and Camarines Sur were favored up against Marikina and Baguio City. Bikol has not hosted this biggest DepEd sanctioned sports event since the 1969 BPSIAA, held in Pili, Camarines Sur.

        All the structures were put in place on schedule despite time and funding problems, yet it was a great success. Even former President Fidel V. Ramos was even delighted to bring the Palaro to Bicol after more than two decades. “The region has brought glorious past in sports. The Bikolanos has a long list of sports heroes and brought honor and renown to our people”, he said. After then, every Palaro in Naga City becomes more colorful and bigger than the previous one.

        In 2002, Philippine Sports Commission’s then Chairman Eric Buhain asked Naga City Mayor Jesse M. Robredo to host the Palarong Pambansa again. Being a good friend, the latter accepted the formidable task of playing host to over eight thousasnd athletes and officials. Besides, Naga City was the only prepared venue that time. Naga City showcased once again the best of the Bicol culture and heritage, the region’s God-given landscape and the genuine hospitality and warmth of the Bicolanos.

        Bikol DepEd Director Celedonio Layon in December 2005 asked Robredo to bid once more for this annual sports event after Palayan, Nueva Ecija, backed out and faced Marikina and Puerto Princesa, Palawan in the process. A technical group made ocular inspections of the venues in the three local government units and vouched for the readiness of Naga City to host the tournament.

        No less than Undersecretary Fe A. Hidalgo, DepEd officer-in-charge confirmed the staging of the 2006 Palarong Pambansa in Naga City only last month. “Marikina is not ready in terms of venues. Puerto Princesa has existing facilities but transportation would cost roughly P14 Million. Estimate says it’s cheaper in Naga”, Hidalgo said.

        Robredo stressed that the third hosting of the City Government became possible because of the primed facilities since Metro Naga Sports Complex was established.

        Palarong Pambansa is the country’s premier student meet that is being competed by the country’s brightest athletes that emerged as their region’s best bets. It brings together more than 6,000 athletes from the 17 regions covering elementary and secondary levels. Palaro was held annually all over the country since 1948, called the Bureau of Public Schools Interscholastic Athletics Association (BPSIAA), then.