Sen. Mark Villar commended the Philippine delegation to the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, for bagging 29 medals – four golds, nine silvers, and 16 bronzes – the country’s largest medal haul in 60 years.
‘The 29-medal haul of our athletes proves how great the potential of Filipinos is in sports. Congratulations to our athletes. You are an inspiration to our youth,’ Villar said in Filipino in a statement on Wednesday.
For Villar, the country’s Asian Games performance shows that Filipino athletes can excel across different sports given sustained support.
‘That’s why we need a long-term plan to ensure that the next generations will be ready to take over and carry the Philippine flag on the international stage,’ he said.
According to him, this is the direction of his Senate Bill No. 2531, or the proposed ‘Roadmap for Sports Excellence Act,’ which seeks to establish a 20-year national framework for sports development, from grassroots talent identification and training to elite and international competition.
Medalists
Villar’s statement recalled the athlete’s achievements, noting the following leaders of Philippine medal campaign:
Carlos Edriel ‘Caloy’ Yulo, who got two gold medals in men’s floor exercise and men’s vault
EJ Obiena, who defended his men’s pole vault title and set a new Asian Games record of 5.91 meters
Jeus Gabriel Yape, who won gold in the mixed individual virtual taekwondo event
The Philippines also secured nine silver medals through the following:
Gilas Pilipinas Women’s 3×3 basketball team
Carlo Paalam in boxing
Kurt Bryan Barbosa in taekwondo
Tachiana Keizha Mangin in taekwondo
Juliana Mykhail Candelaria in taekwondo
Alexandra Luz Enriquez in jiu-jitsu
Jean Claude Saclag in mixed martial arts
Marie June Adriano in karate
women’s sepak takraw team
The delegation’s 16 bronze medals came from a broad range of disciplines, including tennis, gymnastics, weightlifting, athletics, beach volleyball, e-sports, jiu-jitsu, karate, MMA, sepak takraw, soft tennis, skateboarding, and taekwondo.
Sustained support to develop potential
Under Villar’s proposed measure, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) would be tasked with coordinating with the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and the National Academy for Sports (NAS) to develop a long-term Sports Excellence Roadmap.
The bill would also require National Sports Associations to formulate long-term development plans for the athletes’ sports and come up with a more systematic approach to identifying promising athletes through local and national competitions.
SB No. 2531 would also strengthen the support system for Filipino athletes through education, scholarships and grants, sports science, healthcare and nutrition, training facilities and equipment, athlete welfare, benefits and incentives, funding, and public-private partnerships.
Villar said the country’s performance in the Asian Games should not only be celebrated but should also inspire greater investment in the next generation of Filipino athletes.
‘We’re celebrating the victory of our athletes today while we continue to prepare the champions of tomorrow. The 20-year Sports Excellence Roadmap is a step towards a system that will continue to shape talents, give opportunities, and strengthen our Filipino athletes,’ Villar said.