Philippine Sports Gear Up for a Packed 2025, Says POC Chief Bambol Tolentino

The Philippine sports scene is set for an action-packed 2025, with major international competitions lined up from February to December, according to Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.

“It’s a busy year marked with major international competitions,” Tolentino stated during the first POC Executive Board meeting of the year held at Hai Shin Lou Restaurant in Makati City on Tuesday.

PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino with Executive Board members (standing, from left) Atty. Wharton Chan, Dr. Jose Raul Canlas, Alvin Aguilar, Donaldo Caringal, Alexander Sulit, Ferdinand Agustin and Jessie Lacuna; and (seating, from left) Leah Gonzales, Al Panlilio, Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski and Leonora Escollante.

The lineup includes:

Asian Winter Games (Harbin, China): February 7–14, 2025
World Games (Chengdu, China): August 7–17, 2025
Asian Youth Olympic Games (Bahrain): October 22–31, 2025
SEA Games (Thailand): December 9–20, 2025

“We’re aiming to send as many capable and qualified athletes as possible to these games and achieve the best possible results,” Tolentino said, emphasizing the country’s goal to secure its first Winter Olympics medal with Harbin as the launching point.

POC Executive Board Updates

The meeting was attended by POC officials, including:

Al Panlilio (First Vice President, basketball)
Dr. Jose Raul Canlas (Treasurer, surfing)
Donaldo Caringal (Auditor, volleyball)
Leonora Escollante (Board Member, canoe-kayak)
Alvin Aguilar (Board Member, wrestling)
Ferdinand Agustin (Board Member, jiu-jitsu)
Alexander Sulit (Board Member, judo)
Leah Gonzales (Board Member, fencing)
Jessie Lacuna (Athletes Commission)

International Olympic Committee Representative to the Philippines, Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski, also attended, while Second Vice President Richard Gomez (modern pentathlon) was unable to join due to prior commitments.

During the meeting, the Executive Board reorganized key committees to strengthen Philippine sports administration:

Atty. Wharton Chan: Secretary-General
Atty. Marcus Andaya: Legal
Atty. Billie Sumagui: Membership
Atty. Alberto Agra: Arbitration
Michael Vargas: International Affairs
Leonora Escollante: Gender Equality
Dr. Jose Raul Canlas: Medical and Anti-Doping
Alexander Sulit: Safe Sports
Marcus Jarwin Manalo: Technical

A Tribute and a Look Ahead

The meeting began with a moment of silence to honor former Secretary-General Atty. Edwin Gastanes, who passed away in December 2024.

Tolentino also noted that the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, initially scheduled for 2025, have been postponed to early 2026 by host Riyadh.

“We remain focused on preparing our athletes for the upcoming events. Each competition is an opportunity for the Philippines to shine on the global stage,” Tolentino said, despite battling the flu during the meeting.