PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino challenged Team Pilipinas to make the most of the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, calling on the athletes to give everything they have with the next edition of the continental meet still five years away.
“Walang pressure ito. Itodo n’yo na lahat ng galing niyo,” Tolentino told members of the Philippine delegation during the official send-off.
Tolentino pointed out that the next Asian Games will be held in Doha, Qatar, in 2031, making the current edition another important opportunity for the country to maximize its medal chances.
He then raised the possibility of the Philippines improving on its recent Asian Games gold-medal hauls, noting that the country won four golds in Palembang in 2018 and another four in Hangzhou in 2023.
“Mangangarap din lang naman tayo. Gawin na nating walo,” Tolentino said.
The POC chief envisioned an eight-gold haul split evenly between combat and non-combat sports, with disciplines such as jiu-jitsu, boxing, taekwondo, wushu and mixed martial arts among the potential contributors on the combat side.
For the non-combat events, Tolentino pointed to gymnastics, tennis, athletics, weightlifting, skateboarding and eSports among the areas where the Philippines could contend for gold.
The Philippines is bringing 464 athletes to Nagoya, a smaller delegation than Thailand’s reported 700-plus entries, but Tolentino stressed that Team Pilipinas has a strong mix of Olympians and world champions.
“Now is the time,” he said, repeatedly urging the athletes to maximize the opportunity in Japan.
“Hindi namin kayo pine-pressure. Ibigay n’yo na lahat ng nalalaman n’yo. Itodo n’yo na.”
Tolentino also expressed confidence that the current cooperation among the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee and national sports associations can help the delegation produce a strong campaign.
For the POC president, the challenge is clear: there may be no pressure, but with another Asian Games five years away, there is every reason for Team Pilipinas to go all out in Nagoya. (Jesus Nathaniel Valdez)
