POC president Bambol Tolentino has reason to be excited as a star-studded cast of Filipino athletes will headline the country’s biggest delegation ever to the Southeast Asian Games.
The 2025 Thailand Southeast Asian Games is less than three months away, and by the looks of it, the Philippines will be sending its largest delegation of athletes and officials ever.
According to Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, Team Philippines will field over 1,600 athletes in the biennial meet.
“That will be the biggest SEA Games delegation, 1,600,” Tolentino told the media during the ceremonial contract signing between the POC, Smart Communications and Sports Plus Philippines.
The SEA Games runs from December 9 to 20, with Bangkok the main hub of events and Chonburi and Songkla hosting a few others. Tolentino is excited about the prospect of several Filipino star athletes competing in their respective events in Thailand.
“Alex Eala. EJ (Obiena) will be there. Eumir (Marcial),” Tolentino said, rattling off names of major Filipino sports stars. The POC chief said Paris Olympics double gold medalist Carlos Yulo is doubtful, but his brother Eldrew will be competing.
The exact lineup of the defending champions men’s basketball team is still not known, but Tolentino is confident they will carry some big names as well.
“Basketball, hindi ko pa masasagot yan,” he said. “Pero maraming surprises.”
Tolentino said he wasn’t too worried about Obiena’s disappointing performance in the recent World Athletics Championships in Tokyo where he cleared 5.55m and failed to advance to the final. Obiena won silver in the 2023 edition in Budapest.
“Okay lang yun, sa Tokyo,” he said. “Sometimes may off talaga ang atleta. Baka off niya nung sa Tokyo. But let’s see. Hopefully maka-recover si EJ. Talagang ganoon. Ganoon talaga ang mga atleta. Sometimes you’re on, sometimes you’re off. Nasa mood.”
The three-way partnership forged Wednesday night calls for Sports Plus to support Filipino athletes’ bids for major international competitions leading up to the 2028 LA Olympics and Smart to provide connectivity abroad.
“This is not for me, not for POC,” Tolentino said. “It’s all for our athletes, like our athletes here. What’s important here is preparation.
“And all our undertakings: Asian Games, Olympics in LA in 2028, this coming December 20 in Thailand, Bangkok, this October Asian Youth Games. Then next year, Winter Games, Winter Olympics, in Milan, then followed by Nagoya Asian Games. All of these are important.”
Added Sports Plus Head of Partnerships James da Costa: “Sports Plus is more than a partner. We are a dedicated supporter of the exceptional talent and spirit of the Filipino athletes. From grassroots development to the professional ranks and on to the world stage, Sports Plus is committed to standing with athletes every step of the way.
“This partnership is our pledge to provide the resources they need to excel and bring pride to the nation. Thank you once again for being here to witness this milestone. Together, let us continue to celebrate, support, and uplift our athletes.”
Smart Sports head Jude Turcuato emphasized Smart’s history of supporting national athletes.
“For decades, the MVP group of companies has gone beyond business and invested in the dreams of Filipino athletes and their fans. From Hidilyn Diaz to Caloy Yulo to Manny Pacquiao to Gilas Pilipinas, and even Alas Pilipinas, this support has created opportunities, raised the level of competition, and has given us moments of pride on the world stage.
“But more than wins and medals, we have shown that sports is about building communities, inspiring the youth, and instilling values of discipline, teamwork, and resilience. Through this partnership with Sports Plus and the Philippine Olympic Committee, Smart will ensure that our athletes are connected, whether it’s by providing world-class connectivity for training, live streaming for sports content, or keeping our national athletes in touch with their families and supporters, especially when they compete abroad.”
Banner images by Sid Ventura