Reelected Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino will convene the newly elected POC Executive Board on January 9. Shortly after, he will lead the first General Assembly, scheduled for January 15, to jumpstart preparations for a demanding 2025.
“Work starts in earnest,” Tolentino stated, as he looked ahead to the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand. He acknowledged the tough competition expected but expressed full confidence in the capabilities of Filipino athletes and national sports associations (NSAs) to deliver strong results.
Moreover, Tolentino highlighted several major international events in 2025. These include the Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China, and the rescheduled Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Jeddah. He described these tournaments as key opportunities for national athletes to shine on the regional and global stage.
Following the Philippines’ success at the 2024 Paris Olympics—where Carlos Yulo captured two golds and both Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas earned bronze medals—Tolentino now aims to continue this upward momentum. He voiced strong belief that NSAs possess the dedication and structure needed to reach even greater heights.
Tolentino’s “Working Team,” which swept last month’s POC elections, includes prominent sports leaders such as first vice president Al Panlilio (basketball) and second vice president Richard Gomez (modern pentathlon). Both earned overwhelming support from the country’s NSAs.
Looking further ahead, Tolentino stressed the importance of refining successful training models. He cited athletes like Yulo and Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo as examples of what works. With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics already on the horizon, Tolentino vowed to build on these successes and lead Philippine sports to even stronger performances.
