Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino has chosen two of the country’s most recognizable and influential athletes in 2025 — tennis sensation Alexandra Eala and volleyball standout Bryan Bagunas — as flag bearers for Team Philippines during the parade of athletes at the opening ceremony of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok on Tuesday (December 9).
“Popularity aside, Alex and Bryan have made impacts in the global sports community and that makes them the best choice to carry the flag in the SEA Games,” Tolentino said on Tuesday.
He added that the Philippines has been assigned a 300-member delegation for the march around Rajamangala National Stadium, which could be reduced to around 200 due to the year-long mourning for Queen Sirikit and the recent Songkhla disaster.
The Philippines will field close to 1,700 athletes in the SEA Games, which features 574 events across 50 sports.
The competitions will now be held in two main hubs — Bangkok and Chonburi — after Songkhla was struck by massive flooding.
Eala’s rise in tennis has been nothing short of phenomenal. She is now the highest-ranked Filipina in Women’s Tennis Association history and the first Filipina to advance past the first round of the US Open.
Bagunas, meanwhile, played a starring role for the Alas Pilipinas Men’s Team in the FIVB World Championship last September.
He led the team to a historic victory over Egypt, a multiple-time African champion, and was a key figure in the close match against another Asian powerhouse, Iran.
Tolentino emphasized that selecting a flag bearer has always been a significant responsibility for the POC.
“Athlete or athletes who have the most impact and inspirational appeal — not only to national athletes but also to the Filipino youth — gain the most premium in the selection,” he said.
“It’s about the inspirational appeal, the motivation, and hard work that reaps accomplishment that make an athlete or athletes the best choice for the chore,” Tolentino added.
