Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) members transitioned from celebrating their Paris Olympics campaign to focusing on upcoming challenges during their General Assembly on Wednesday at the East Ocean Seafood Restaurant in Pasay City. Key topics included preparations for the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand next year and the POC elections in November.

“The SEA Games next year in Thailand is a concern. We’re bound to lose eight gold medals in four sports dropped by the Thais from their program,” said POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino. “But we’re not losing hope, the appeal is there, and it will be decided in a SEAG Federation meeting next month.”

The SEAG Federation will convene on October 15 to discuss updates for the SEA Games, which Thailand will host from December 9 to 20, 2025, in Bangkok, Chonburi, and Sonkhia. Central to the agenda is the POC’s—and other SEA Games nations’—appeal to reinstate weightlifting, wushu, jiu-jitsu, and karate, all traditional SEAG sports.

“It’s a tough task considering that the Thais will be hard-pressed to dominate the games,” said Tolentino, who was also recognized by the assembly for his election to a four-year term as Olympic Council of Asia Legal Committee chairman during the organization’s meeting last Sunday in New Delhi.

Other discussions included:

• The reappointment of karate’s Richard Lim as chef de mission to the Asian Winter Games from February 7 to 14 next year in Harbin, China, following the cancellation of the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) in Thailand this November.
• Saudi Arabia will host the canceled AIMAG on still-to-be-determined dates and specific venues in 2025.
• Initial details of the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya from September 19 to October 4, 2026.
• Members of the Commission on Elections for the POC elections on November 29.

Chartered Arbiter and Accredited Mediator Atty. Teodoro Kalaw IV returns as chairman of the POC electoral body after his stints in 2020 and 2024. He will be joined by Colegio de San Juan de Letran Rector President Fr. Napoleon Encarnacion, OP, and Philippine Sports Commission Commissioner Olivia “Bong” Coo as members. The POC assembly unanimously approved these appointments.

“The COMELEC led by Atty. Kalaw will lay down the rules of the elections and they will set the deadline for the filing of candidacy and handle the screening of the candidates,” said Tolentino, who will seek another full four-year term as president.