MULA Harbin sa February sa Chengdu sa August at Bahrain sa October bago sa Thailand sa December, ang 2025 ay magiging abalang taon para sa Filipino athletes, ayon kay Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.
“It’s a busy year marked with major international competitions,” pahayag ni Tolentino makaraang pulungin ang kanyang bagong Executive Board sa unang major POC function ng taon sa Hai Shin Lou Restaurant sa Makati City nitong Martes.
Nakalinya sa 2025 ang Ninth Asian Winter Games sa Harbin, China, mula February 7 hanggang 14; ang 12th World Games sa Chengdu sa China rin mula August 7 hanggang 17; Third Asian Youth Olympics Games mula October 22 hanggang 31 sa Bahrain at ang 33rd Southeast Asian Games na iho-host ng Thailand sa Chonburi, Songkhla at Thailand mula December 9-20.
“We’re aiming to send as many capable and qualified athletes as possible to these games and we’re targeting the best possible results,” dagdag ni Tolentino, na inihayag kamakailan na ang Harbin Games ay magiging tuntungan para sa kampanya ng bansa para sa unang Winter Olympics medal.
Kasama ni Tolentino sa pagpupulong sina first vice president Al Panlilio (basketball), treasurer Dr. Jose Raul Canlas (surfing) at auditor Donaldo Caringal (volleyball), at board members Leonora Escollante (canoe-kayak), Alvin Aguilar (wrestling), Ferdinand Agustin (jiu-jitsu,), Alexander Sulit (judo), Leah Gonzales (fencing) at Jessie Lacuna (Athletes Commission).
Dumalo rin si International Olympic Committee Representative to the Philippines Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski sa meeting.
Ayon kay Tolentino, ang Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games ay muling itinakda sa 2026 ng host Riyadh.
Nireorganisa ng Executive Board ang key functions and committees, kabilang sina Atty. Wharton Chan na nanatiling secretary-general, Atty. Marcus Andaya (legal), Atty. Billie Sumagui (membership), Atty. Alberto Agra (arbitration), Michael Vargas (international affairs), Escollante (gender equality), Canlas (medical at anti-doping), Sulit (safe sports) at Marcus Jarwin Manalo (technical).
Bago ang pagpupulong, ang board ay nag-alay ng panalangin para kay dating secretary-general Atty. Edwin Gastanes, na sumakabilang-buhay noong nakaraang buwan.
