The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) is riding a powerful wave of momentum as 2025 concludes, setting the stage for an even more ambitious and historic campaign in the coming year. POC President Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino expressed strong optimism, highlighting that Filipino athletes have provided compelling reasons for national pride, not merely through medal counts but through strategic victories in globally significant sports.
Olympic Sports Gold: The True Measure of SEA Games Success
Fresh from the recent competitions, Tolentino pointed to the country's performance at the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand as a cornerstone of this optimism. While the Philippines secured sixth place overall with 50 gold medals, the POC chief emphasized the critical quality of those victories.
"Those are what mattered the most, the gold medals from Olympic sports," Tolentino stated. He underscored that this focus is a clear indicator of the nation's growing long-term competitiveness on the international stage, beyond regional contests.
This strategic achievement is backed by data. An analysis by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), referencing Vietnamese news outlet vnexpress.net, revealed that the Philippines tied with Singapore for the highest percentage of gold medals won in Olympic sports among all 11 participating nations.
The Philippine haul of Olympic golds came from a diverse range of disciplines:
- Athletics (5)
- Swimming (3)
- Gymnastics (3)
- Triathlon (3)
- Modern Pentathlon (3)
Additional gold medals were earned in women’s football, men’s baseball, tennis (courtesy of Alex Eala), beach volleyball, basketball (2), judo (2), skateboarding (2), softball (2), taekwondo (2), rowing, sailing, short-track speed skating, weightlifting, and wrestling.
Beyond the SEA Games: A Year of Breakthrough Achievements
Tolentino was quick to note that the upward trajectory extends far beyond the regional games. He credited improved harmony and coordination with government sports agencies like the PSC for fostering this environment of success.
"Now, we’re working together with the PSC in a harmonious way," he said, highlighting a key factor behind the momentum.
This synergy has yielded results across various fronts in 2025:
- Seven gold medals at the Bahrain Asian Youth Games.
- Two silver and two bronze medals at the Chengdu World Games.
- A historic men’s curling gold at the Ninth Asian Winter Games in Harbin.
The winter sports victory in Harbin was particularly momentous. "That made us the first in an international winter sports competition not only by the Philippines but for Southeast Asia," Tolentino declared with pride.
The Packed and Promising Road to 2026
Looking ahead, the POC president acknowledged a demanding and packed international calendar for Team Philippines in 2026, viewing it as both a challenge and an opportunity.
"It will be challenging this time as we will be competing in three Asian multi-sports events and we have also the Milano Winter Games and then the Youth Olympic Games," Tolentino explained.
The major events on the horizon include:
- The Milano Cortina Winter Olympics (February 6-22).
- The Sanya Asian Beach Games (April 22-30).
- The Aichi-Nagoya 20th Asian Games in Japan (September 19 - October 4).
- The historic Dakar Youth Olympic Games (October 31 - November 13) – the first Olympics in Africa.
- The Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Riyadh.
Despite the rigorous schedule, Tolentino remains confident, buoyed by the consistent improvement he sees. "Our athletes and national sports associations are improving every year and I’m so happy to see that," he said.
For the POC chief, the mission remains singular and clear as the nation gears up for another landmark year in sports: "All for the Filipino athlete, all for Philippine sports."
