Sports is not only a form of entertainment or amusement. It represents the physical strength, fortitude and discipline of athletes who bring pride to their nation.
For a sporting nation like the Philippines, athletes have inspired the people to do better and accomplish their goals through constant practice. Athletes remind us that we can achieve great things if we work together and persevere.
Filipino athletes have brought honor to our people in sports fields like boxing, bowling, billiards and basketball. In recent years, our athletes have excelled in gymnastics, weightlifting and tennis, winning trophies and medals in professional tournaments and international events like the Olympics and the Asian Games.
I congratulate the Philippine delegation to the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, after our country won 29 medals, our biggest haul in 60 years. Our athletes took home four golds, 9 silvers and 16 bronzes. Congratulations to our athletes who are an inspiration to our youth. The 29-medal haul proves that Filipinos have huge potential in sports.
The 20th Asian Games ended with a spectacular closing ceremony on October 4, 2026 at the Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium in Nagoya. The games ran for more than two weeks, from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4, bringing together athletes from 45 participating countries.
Asia’s best athletes held us captivated and excited during the games. They broke more than 350 records, including over 50 world records.
China finished first in the medal table, with 169 golds, 89 silvers and 83 bronzes, for a total of 341 medals. Host Japan placed second with 269 medals, including 83 golds, 95 silvers and 91 bronzes. South Korea was third with 39 golds, 43 silvers and 68 bronzes.
The Philippines placed 17th among the 45 countries that joined the games. The 29 medals represent our highest achievement since 1966, when we won 42 medals in Bangkok, Thailand. I am proud of what our athletes have achieved. Their results show how much sporting talent we have as a nation.
Carlos Edriel ‘Caloy’ Yulo, a double Olympic gold medalist, led our campaign with two golds, in men’s floor exercise and men’s vault. Olympian EJ Obiena defended his men’s pole vault title and set a new Asian Games record of 5.91 meters. Jeus Gabriel Yape won gold in the mixed individual virtual taekwondo event.
We also won nine silver medals courtesy of the Gilas Pilipinas Women’s 3×3 basketball team, boxer Carlo Paalam, Kurt Bryan Barbosa, Tachiana Keizha Mangin, Juliana Mykhail Candelaria, Luz Alexandra Enriquez, Jean Claude Saclag, Marie June Adriano and the women’s sepak takraw team.
Our 16 bronze medals came from many sports, including tennis, gymnastics, weightlifting, athletics, beach volleyball, e-sports, jiu-jitsu, karate, MMA, sepak takraw, soft tennis, skateboarding and taekwondo.
I believe the big haul of medals shows that Filipino athletes can win in many sports when they have the chance, the preparation and the steady support they need.
Success at the Asian Games does not come from just one competition. Before an athlete reaches the podium, there is arduous training, coaching, discipline, competition and support. That is why we need a long-term plan to make sure the next generation is ready to take over and carry the Philippine flag on the international stage.
I filed Senate Bill No. 2531, or the proposed ‘Roadmap for Sports Excellence Act,’ to establish a 20-year national plan for sports development. It would cover everything from spotting and training young talent to competing at the elite and international levels. I am pushing for it so that every Filipino athlete has a clear path to excellence.
Our Filipino athletes have made us proud time and again, and I thank them for the pride they brought home. They showed that talent is not in short supply here. What they need is a system that supports them from the first day of training to the day they stand on the world stage.
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The next Asian Games will be held in Qatar in 2030. With only four years away, the time to build that path is now. I want our young athletes to have the coaching, training and support they need long before they step onto the podium. That is why I believe a 20-year plan is a smart investment in young Filipinos.