Out of 119,441 teenagers who applied from across Indonesia, only 76 made the cut. On June 22, 2026, the Badan Pembinaan Ideologi Pancasila (BPIP) officially announced the list of Calon Pasukan Pengibar Bendera Pusaka  better known as Paskibraka  for this year's Independence Day ceremony.

What is Paskibraka 2026 ?

Paskibraka (Pasukan Pengibar Bendera Pusaka) is Indonesia's national flag-raising corps, made up of high school students selected by the government to carry and raise the sacred Pusaka flag at Istana Merdeka on August 17 each year. The 2026 cohort consists of 76 candidates  two per province (one male, one female)  representing all 38 provinces. Selected by BPIP from 119,441 nationwide applicants, they will undergo intensive centralized training before performing at the 81st Independence Day ceremony in August 2026.

How Were the Paskibraka 2026 Candidates Selected?

The selection process filtered more than 119,000 applicants down to just 76  a ratio of roughly 1 in 1,570. Each province contributes exactly two candidates: a putra (male) and a putri (female). From Sabang to Merauke, the names span every corner of the archipelago, from Aceh's Muhammad Hibban Annafis and Zilqueensa Abintary Laudicia Simatupang, to Papua Pegunungan's Michael Marchel Winka Fakdawer and Julia Maharani Dabi.

What Happens Next for the Selected Candidates?

The 76 candidates will be summoned to Jakarta for  a centralized training camp that drills them on precision marching, synchronization, and the weight of the ceremony they are about to lead. The Pusaka flag they will carry is not a replica. It is the original flag sewn by Fatmawati, hoisted for the first time on August 17, 1945 now handled only on the most sacred national occasions.

Training conditions are demanding. The cadets rehearse on scorched parade grounds under the August sun, moving in lockstep until every arm swing and every footfall lands at exactly the same beat. The sound of 76 pairs of boots hitting asphalt in unison is, by all accounts, something you feel before you hear.

Why Does This Matter in 2026?

This year's ceremony marks HUT RI ke-81  Indonesia's 81st Independence Day. With the nation's capital now officially shifted to Nusantara, the ceremony at Istana Merdeka in Jakarta carries a particular symbolic weight: it is a reminder of the city where the republic was born. The kids marching this August are not just performing a ritual. They are, in a very literal sense, carrying history.

The full roster includes candidates from provinces that rarely make national headlines. Papua Tengah sends Christopher Leon Bringga Tabuni and Gladys Manuella Aibekob. Papua Selatan sends Vinsensius Renaldi Oey Yolmen and Kristina Ndiken. Their presence is a quiet, powerful argument that Indonesia's next generation reaches all the way to its easternmost edges.