Local residents of Muntinlupa City who won medals in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in Thailand were congratulated by the City Government, according to a news report by the Manila Bulletin.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
The Muntinlupa City government congratulated residents who won medals at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.
They are Daryl John Mercado, Mark Jesus San Jose and Kaila Napolis who won a bronze medal each in different sports in the SEA Games.
Mercado, a resident of Barangay Tunasan, Muntinlupa, won a bronze medal in the Men’s 55kg Judo Shiai.
“Isa na namang Muntinlupeño ang nagbigay karangalan sa ating lungsod matapos makasungkit ng medalya sa 33rd Southeast Asian Games sa Thailand! (Another Muntinlupa man brought honor to our city after winning a medal in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand!” the city government posted on Facebook.
It added that Mercado is a project of the city government’s grassroots sports program. He is the current coach of the Muntinlupa Judo Club.
San Jose, a resident of Barangay Putatan, won a bronze medal in Men’s Bowling while Napolis of Barangay Poblacion won the same medal in the Women’s 57kg Jiu-jitsu Ne-waza.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, are you delighted to know that local residents won medals for the Philippines at this year’s SEA Games? Do you think Muntinlupa can produce more athletes who can be really competitive in international events?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Even though there already is a foreign tourism boom in Southeast Asia, the Philippines has literally been left behind by its neighbors as it attracted only 5.235 million international tourist arrivals for the period of January to November 2025, according to a news report by BusinessWorld.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of BusinessWorld. Some parts in boldface…
VISITOR ARRIVALS in the Philippines fell by 2.16% in the first 11 months, amid a decline in tourists from South Korea and China, Tourism department data showed.
Data from the Department of Tourism (DoT) showed international tourist arrivals dropped to 5.235 million in the January-to-November period from 5.35 million in the same period in 2024.
Of the tourist arrivals, the bulk or 4.918 million were foreign tourists, while the rest were overseas Filipinos.
South Korea remained the biggest source of tourists in the first 11 months, accounting for 21.66% of the total. While 1.134 million South Koreans visited the Philippines as of November, this was a 21% decline from the 1.436 million Korean tourists a year ago.
The US was the second-biggest source of tourists, at 894,835 or 17.09% of the total as of end-November. This was 6.57% higher than last year’s 839,635 tourist arrivals from the US.
Japan was the third-biggest source of tourists, accounting for 406,794 or 7.77% of the total, 15.36% up from 352,630 a year ago.
Tourist arrivals from Australia increased by 16.17% to 268,892 in the 11-month period. Meanwhile, tourists from China fell by 16.55% to 248,339 as of end-November.
The other top markets were Canada, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Malaysia, which cumulatively accounted for 793,750 of the total arrivals.
“The weaker South Korean won amid a volatile political and economic situation over the past year and slower economic growth in China, which is the world’s second-biggest economy, on top of territorial disputes partly weighed on foreign tourism numbers,” Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a Viber message.
Mr. Ricafort noted that the government should improve infrastructure to make it more convenient for tourists to travel around the country.
“Challenges include the need to further expand and develop tourism-related infrastructure such as airports, seaports, accommodation facilities, and train systems, including the Metro Manila subway and toll roads,” he added.
Despite the decline in the first 11 months, Mr. Ricafort said that it is still possible for the country to surpass the tourist arrivals last year, which reached 5.949 million.
“It is still possible, considering some seasonal increase in foreign tourists during the Christmas holiday season, especially overseas Filipino workers and balikbayans, to spend the most festive time of the year, while others escape winter,” he said.
“A higher US dollar-peso exchange rate would make it cheaper for foreign tourists to come to the Philippines,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ricafort noted the growth in tourist arrivals from India and other countries, which helped “offset the decline in major traditional sources such as South Korea and China.”
India was the 11th biggest source of tourist arrivals in the January-to-November period, accounting for 85,885 or 1.64% of the total. Tourists from India increased by 17.06% from 73,369 arrivals in the same period in the previous year.
Earlier this year, the Philippines and India signed the Implementation Program on Tourism Cooperation for the years 2025 to 2028.
For his part, Colliers Research Director Joey Roi H. Bondoc said that with only 5.235 million as of end-November, it will be difficult for the country to even surpass last year’s arrivals.
“I think it will be very difficult… We may not be able to beat that or even meet that, but of course we want to end the year stronger,” he said in a phone interview.
“We see a lot of foreign tourists still in December because of the holiday season. Definitely that optimism should spill over to next year,” he added.
As for the drop in arrivals from South Korea, Mr. Bondoc attributed this to the economic downturn and political crisis in the country.
“If you look at some integrated casinos, they were initially targeting Koreans… so they are experiencing the pinch of slower arrivals from South Korea,” he said.
Mr. Bondoc said the Philippines should try to attract tourists from other markets.
For further insight about the tourism industry problem of the Philippines, watch the CNA Insider video below.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Did you think the Philippines can still beat its 2024 record of international visitor arrivals and generate huge revenues for the economy? Do you think the current administration will be able to improve the nation’s infrastructure and make travel more efficient and convenient for all tourists? Do you think the Philippines is too expensive when it comes to air travel?
It has been months since the flood control corruption scandal rocked the entire Philippines and the economic situation has turned for the worse along the way (click here, here and here). In the view of Fitch Ratings, the scandal puts the nation’s credit rating at risk, according to a news report by BusinessWorld.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of BusinessWorld. Some parts in boldface…
THE Philippine economy continues to bear the brunt of the ongoing flood control corruption scandal, Fitch Ratings said, noting that further unrest could spill over to the country’s credit rating.
Fitch Ratings Head of Asia-Pacific Sovereigns Thomas Rookmaaker said the controversy surrounding the anomalous government flood control projects threatens the country’s political stability, fiscal policy implementation, as well as business and consumer confidence.
“We believe that the flood control corruption scandal in the Philippines poses an ongoing risk to political stability, fiscal policy execution, and business and consumer confidence,” Mr. Rookmaaker told BusinessWorld in an e-mail.
Government officials, lawmakers and contractors have been accused of getting billions of pesos in kickbacks from substandard or nonexistent flood control projects. This has triggered widespread protests, slowed government spending, and hurt investor and consumer sentiment.
“The overall impact the scandal will have on the Philippines’ public finances is still uncertain,” Mr. Rookmaaker said.
“Public investment spending is likely to remain weak for quite some time, but continued social unrest could simultaneously lead to spending pressures to head off public discontent.”
In October, government spending fell for a third straight month to P430.6 billion, down 7.76% from P466.8 billion a year ago. Revenues likewise slipped by 6.64% to P441.7 billion from P473.1 billion last year.
Mr. Rookmaaker noted that the immediate impact of the scandal was reflected in the sharp economic slowdown in the third quarter.
Philippine gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by an over four-year low of 4% in the third quarter, as household final consumption expenditure and government spending slowed amid the corruption mess.
For the first nine months, GDP growth averaged 5%, well-below the government’s 5.5-6.5% full-year target.Public investments likewise took a hit from the corruption issues, he added.
In the third quarter, foreign investment pledges approved by investment promotion agencies plunged by 48.7% to P73.68 billion, Philippine Statistics Authority data showed.
“Persisting social tensions could become more of a drag on growth if confidence among foreign and domestic investors suffers,” the Fitch analyst said. “Tensions could also serve as a distraction for policymakers, impeding the passage of reforms that have the potential to enhance economic productivity and competitiveness.”
Mr. Rookmaaker said implementing reforms to enhance accountability and governance could bolster private investments and promote growth in the medium term.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Did you think Fitch Ratings is correct with its economic analysis of the Philippines and the flood control corruption scandal? Do you think foreign investors have been turned off by the scandals and social unrest?
Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following videos I found.
#1 Terminator 2 Arcade Game Revisited – As a teenager, I was a huge fan of Terminator 2: Judgment Day. In 1992, the official arcade game of Terminator 2 arrived here in the Philippines and there was this time I played it in a Makati arcade (with one other player on the other gun), spent a lot of money on tokens for it and played the game extensively. As the game was very hard and overly chaotic, us players were unable to finish it. Recently, I saw this analytical, retrospective video about the Terminator 2 arcade game on YouTube by Mass Replay. It was a very engaging video to watch as it examines the game very closely, explains why it is so challenging to play and how much would it cost gamers today to finish it. Watch the video below and pay attention to the details.
#2 Problems With Windows 11 – Are you using Windows 11 on your personal computer? The way the Microsoft operating system is right now with artificial intelligence (AI) integrated, it has attracted a lot of user complaints over its reliability, lack of efficiency, features, forced updates and being not so user-friendly. The complaints and criticism over Windows 11 are only getting louder as of this writing and you can find out exactly why by watching the ColdFusion video below.
#3 Japan’s Ekiben – You might be familiar with the packed meal in Japan called bento. The Ekiben is a specific type of bento which is normally sold at train stations and those who bought it enjoy their meals while traveling. Ekiben comes with different types of food, ingredients and flavors, and it also highlights the local cuisine of the station or region it was sold in. To learn more about it, watch the Nippon TV video below.
#4 Sega’s Best Games On Xbox 360 – Over twenty years have passed since Microsoft first launched the Xbox 360 game console in America which eventually became the most popular gaming console in Xbox gaming history as well as having the best online gaming network of the 7th console generation. As with the original Xbox console, Sega released several games on Xbox 360 (a mix of remastered games and brand new ones) via retail and through the Xbox network online (AKA Xbox LIVE). Recently Sega Lord X posted a video highlighting the best of what Sega released on the console, and it is fun to watch!
#5 Street Fighter 1994 Movie Revisited – In late 1994, the live-action movie Street Fighter was released in cinemas and there was buzz about it among Street Fighter II groups of fans of the time. Not only did the filmmakers have Jean-Claude Van Damme as its main attraction, they had to make up a functional story and cram a lot of characters into it. The film event had Australia’s icon Kylie Minogue as Cammy. To this day, some moviegoers (including gamers and fans of the Street Fighter franchise) enjoyed Street Fighter while there were others who found it very flawed. If you want to discover Street Fighter (1994) but are not willing to spend precious time and money on it, watch the videos below.
#6 Ashleigh Burton Reacts To National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation – When it comes to movies set during the Christmas season, do you enjoy watching comedies? Way back in December of 1989, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation – starring Chevy Chase – was released to mixed reviews but managed to achieve commercial success and movie buffs today consider it a classic of the Christmas season. How much of an impact the movie can have on first-timers can be seen in Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video below.
Recently in the city of Parañaque, local authorities successfully rescued a kidnapped Chinese national and arrested the suspects who were involved, according to a news report by GMA Network.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA News report. Some parts in boldface…
A 26-year-old Chinese national was rescued in a condominium in Parañaque City after allegedly being kidnapped, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) reported Sunday.
In a statement, the NCRPO said authorities conducted a rescue operation after they received a report through the PNP Hotline Facebook page.
The victim was found in a condominium unit in Barangay Don Galo on Saturday with four male and one female foreign suspects.
Initial investigation showed that the victim had allegedly been detained since December 9, with suspects demanding P1 million for his release.
The victim said P500,000 had already been handed over. The suspects were placed under police custody for proper investigation.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, do you consider kidnapping a serious crime? Has anyone in your local community been kidnapped over the past six months?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Have you been buying green tea products imported from Japan lately? Japan achieved a major milestone this year as its green tea exports in the first ten months of 2025 (January to October 2025) have reached the highest level in more than seventy years, according to a news release by Kyodo News. There is still more that could be achieved as the year comes to an end.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news release of Kyodo News. Some parts in boldface…
Japan’s green tea exports in the first 10 months of this year reached the highest level in over 70 years on the back of the booming overseas market for matcha powder and the depreciation of the Japanese yen, government and industry data showed Saturday.
Tea exports between January and October grew 44 percent from the same period last year to 10,084 tons. The United States was the top destination, importing 3,497 tons in the 10 months, followed by Taiwan, Thailand and Germany.
Green tea exports have been increasing for nine consecutive years, reflecting the growing overseas popularity of Japanese foods among health-conscious consumers.
Despite rising overseas sales, annual shipments remained below 10,000 tons after peaking at 11,553 tons in 1954, partly as Chinese tea grew in popularity.
Despite sluggish green tea demand within Japan, tea leaf prices have been rising in recent years in line with falling production.
In 2024, Japan produced about 74,000 tons of tea leaves, more than 10 percent less than a decade earlier, amid declining demand for sencha used in brewing and an aging farming population.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Have been consuming green tea products from Japan over the past six months? If you did, what products are those and what were their brands?
A new age for the famous Alabang Town Center (ATC) in Muntinlupa City will soon begin as the developer Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) will sell its 50% stake in Alabang Commercial Center Corp. (ACCC) to the Madrigal family in a deal with P13.5 billion, according to a Manila Bulletin business news report.
For the newcomers reading this, the ACCC is the private entity that owns and operates ATC. Already, it has been reported that the Madrigal family is talking with Rockwell Land Corp. about redeveloping the high-end Alabang mall.
The front of Alabang Town Center along Madrigal Avenue.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the business news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI) has agreed to sell its 50 percent stake in Alabang Commercial Center Corp. (ACCC), the entity that owns and operates the prominent Alabang Town Center mall in Muntinlupa City, back to the Madrigal family for ₱13.5 billion.
The real estate giant announced in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange that it executed a share purchase agreement with its existing joint-venture partner. The transaction is contingent on standard closing conditions.
“The unsolicited offer from our joint venture partner provided a premium, allowing ALI to recognize gains from the sale and monetize its stake in Alabang Town Center,” said ALI Chief Finance Officer and Treasurer Jose Eduardo A. Quimpo II.
He added that the “Proceeds from the sale will fuel further growth in our Leasing portfolio and provide our stakeholders with return of capital.”
In a separate statement, ALI said the deal allowed the company to realize “compelling value for the mature asset, crystallizing future earnings potential today.”
“This move is a deliberate execution of Ayala Land’s strategy to be a premier creator of value,” the company said. “It showcases a disciplined approach of developing assets, stabilizing their operations, and monetizing them at an optimal valuation to aggressively fund future growth and enhance shareholder returns.”
ALI President and Chief Executive Officer Meean B. Dy noted the firm’s strategic focus.
“Our strategy is focused on a dynamic cycle of value creation. We build, we stabilize, and we unlock value at the right time to fuel our next wave of innovation,” Dy said.
“This transaction is a prime example of that strategy in action. We are monetizing a legacy asset at peak valuation to accelerate the rollout of our expansive pipeline of commercial and retail spaces, which will define the Ayala brand of development for the next decade,” he added.
The proceeds from the sale are slated to be a key driver in funding ALI’s leasing pipeline, which includes nearly 700,000 square meters of new gross leasable area (GLA) over the next five years. This expansion is set to transform the commercial landscape in key growth centers across the Philippines.
Chinabank Capital Corp. Managing Director Juan Paolo Colet described the deal as “an opportunistic transaction that enabled Ayala Land to exit their joint venture with the Madrigal family at an attractive price. The company can readily use the cash for various projects in its growth pipeline.”
Colet noted that the future plans for the property remain uncertain.
“It remains to be seen what the Madrigal family will do with their prime commercial property. Given the price they paid, they would need to unlock more value from the asset. A major redevelopment might be on the table,” he said.
Situated adjacent to exclusive gated residential communities and active business developments, Alabang Town Center serves as a community anchor with multiple al fresco areas that contribute to a relaxed, homey atmosphere consistent with the local lifestyle.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, do you think the P13.5 billion deal will lead to a major redevelopment of Alabang Town Center in the near future? If you have visited the ATC before, how often do you visit the high-end shopping mall in Alabang? Do you feel confident the ATC will evolve and possibly expand under the control of the Madrigal family and Rockwell Land? Does Alabang Town Center’s current design and structure look old or outdated to you?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
The Philippines won the two silver medals and a bronze in the individual triathlon contests of the 2025 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) held yesterday in Thailand. The two silver medalists Kira Ellis (women’s triathlon) and Andrew Kim Remolino (men’s triathlon) delivered their best as they encountered strong competitors in their respective races while also struggling with health problems.
To put things in perspective about the Philippines’ gold medal victories in the all-men relay and all-women relay contests, posted below is an excerpt from the sports news report of One Sports. Some parts in boldface…
Despite battling food poisoning, Philippine triathletes Kira Ellis and Kim Remolino pushed through to claim silver in their individual events, with Fernando Jose Casares bagged bronze at the 2025 SEA Games.
Kira Ellis didn’t just race against the field in the women’s individual triathlon at the 33rd SEA Games—she also raced against her own body.
The 19-year-old Filipino triathlete revealed she was hospitalized after falling ill following the team relay events, leaving her with limited time to recover ahead of the individual race. Yet when it mattered most, she still found a way to stand on the podium.
Despite the health scare, Ellis bagged silver to add another chapter to what has been a breakout 2025 SEA Games campaign in Thailand.
She finished with a time of 01:01:03, while Indonesia’s Martina Ayu Pratiwi claimed gold in 01:00:11. Singapore’s Herlene Natasha Yu Zhihui rounded out the podium with 01:02:41.
Ellis and Ayu were virtually even through the swim, bike and even on both T1 and T2 transitions, but Ayu edged ahead during the run, covering the final leg 45 seconds faster than the Philippine triathlete.
“It was a crazy lead-up to the individual race,” Ellis shared in a post-race interview. “I got food poisoned after the triathlon relays and I was at the hospital that night. We were supposed to be resting in between the days before this.“
The illness also struck close to home, as teammate Raven Alcoseba was forced to miss the individual event after suffering the same fate.
“I was lucky I got it earlier and had a day to rest,” Ellis said. “She got it the night before, and it was really unfortunate. She should be here more than me—she’s our strongest athlete. I’m really heartbroken that we couldn’t race together because I know we could’ve done it side by side.”
Already proven on the international stage—most recently winning the Europe Triathlon Junior Cup in Riga, Latvia—Ellis admitted the illness took a physical toll, but it never broke her focus.
“It did affect my energy, but the training was there,” she bared. “Despite everything, you just have to block it out and give your best.”
The silver medal capped a demanding schedule that saw Ellis compete in five events at the Games, walking away with an impressive haul: two golds in the women’s and mixed team triathlon, plus silvers in the mixed team aquathlon, the all-women relay, and the individual race.
By the time she crossed the finish line, the result felt bigger than any medal.
“I’m happy. I raced in five events, and I couldn’t be prouder of my teammates. Everyone came here and gave their best,” Ellis said.
In the men’s individual event, the Philippines celebrated a strong showing as Kim Remolino and Fernando Jose Casares claimed silver and bronze, respectively.
But it was Rashif Amila Yaqin of Indonesia who stole the spotlight, clocking a winning time of 54:37 to dethrone Casares, who had taken gold in the same event at the 2023 edition in Cambodia.
Remolino — much like Ellis — had to battle through the lingering effects of food poisoning and went head-to-head with Yaqin throughout the race.
The Filipino triathlete matched Yaqin with a 28:31 bike split, but the Indonesian pulled ahead in the swim and run to keep the gold out of reach. In the end, he crossed the finish line at 55:03, while teammate Fernando Jose Casares settled for 56:56.
Silver medal of SEA Games mixed relay captured
The other day (December 18), the Philippines won the silver medal of the mixed relay duathlon contest thanks to the combined efforts of Erika Burgos, Maynard Pecson, Merry Joy Trupa, and Franklin Ferdie Yee. Posted below is an excerpt from the sports news report of ABS-CBN.
The mixed team relay of Erika Burgos, Maynard Pecson, Merry Joy Trupa, and Franklin Ferdie Yee copped a silver for the Philippines in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games duathlon competitions at the Laem Mae Phim Beach in Rayong, Thailand.
The squad clocked one hour, 35 minutes, and 35 seconds to secure a podium finish on Thursday, sneaking in to grab a medal after running fourth at one point in the race.
Trupa helped the Philippines move in contention for a medal when she clocked the best time of 24:26 among the participants in the third leg.
The anchor Yee closed the race with the second-best time with 23:18 to finish the race that featured a 2km run, 8km bike, and 1km run course.
The Indonesia team of Martina Ayu Pratiwi, Azizah Khunsul Qotimah, Ronald Bintang Setiawan, and Alias Praji took the gold in 1:33:58. Singapore clinched the bronze with a time of 1:36:47.
The women’s and men’s team relay both finished fourth, the day after the Philippines swept all three events in the triathlon relay events.
Praise and thank the Lord for the victories the multisports team of the Philippines achieved in the 2025 SEA Games.
Recently in the city of Parañaque, local police officers organized a successful buy-bust operation which resulted in three men arrested and the seizure of illegal drugs worth more than P2 million, according to a news report by the Daily Tribune.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Daily Tribune news report. Some parts in boldface…
Three men were nabbed and more than P2.1 million worth of suspected shabu were seized in a buy-bust operation in Parañaque City late Wednesday night, the Southern Police District (SPD) reported.
Authorities said the Station Drug Enforcement Unit (SDEU) of the Parañaque City Police conducted the operation at Unit 2908, 3rd Floor, Aguarra Street, Barangay Baclaran.
Arrested were 31-year-old alias “Olrac,” identified as a high-value target; 27-year-old alias “Rowelle”; and 43-year-old alias “Francis.” They were caught after allegedly selling illegal drugs to an undercover officer.
Recovered were 310 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of P2,108,000, along with the marked money used during the operation.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned that the trafficking and trading of illegal drugs within the city will only get worse?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
The Philippines won the gold medals in the all-women triathlon relay, the all-men triathlon relay and the mixed triathlon events of the 2025 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) held yesterday in Thailand which has since been reported by GMA News (click here) and the Philippine Daily Inquirer (click here and here) and revealed via social media by Triathlon Philippines and the Philippine Sports Commission (click here, here, here and here). The Daily Tribune and the Manila Standard also published their respective stories (click here and here).
To put things in perspective about the Philippines’ gold medal victories in the all-men relay and all-women relay contests, posted below is an excerpt from the sports news report of GMA News. Some parts in boldface…
The Philippines continued its golden surge in the 2025 SEA Games after its triathlon teams delivered a pair of gold medals on Wednesday in Thailand.
The men’s and women’s squads both ruled the team relay competitions, adding two more gold medals to the country’s tally with three days left in the biennial event.
The women’s team, composed of Kira Ellis, Kim Mangrobang, and Raven Alcoseba, reigned supreme after clocking in one hour, 10 minutes, and 14 seconds.
Indonesia’s Martina Ayu Pratiwi, Kayla Nadia Shafa, and Renata Berliana Aditya copped the silver with 1:10:48 while Singapore’s Yen Ling Kathlyn Yeo, Louisa Marie Middleditch, and Herlene Natasha Yu settled for bronze with 1:12:00.
The Philippine men’s team also shone with Aki Lorbes, Matthew Hermosa, and Fernando Casares by finishing the relay in one hour, four minutes, and five seconds.
GMA News eventually posted another sports news report which includes the Philippines’ gold medal victory in the triathlon mixed relay contest. Posted below is the excerpt from their report.
The Philippines proved its dominance in triathlon after ruling the mixed team relay in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games on Wednesday in Thailand.
The quartet of Kira Ellis, Fernando Casares, Kim Remolino, and Raven Alcoseba dominated the event to clinch the country’s third triathlon gold medal.
Earlier, Ellis and Alcoseba teamed up with Kim Mangrobang to reign supreme in the women’s team relay while Cesares connived with Aki Lorbes and Matthew Hermosa to emerge victorious in the men’s team relay event.
The Philippines first stamped its authority in the mixed relay back in 2019, with former triathlon stars John Chicano, Maria Claire Adorna, along with Mangrobang and Casares, leading the charge to gold.
For the newcomers reading this, yesterday was the 2nd day of SEA Games action for the Philippine’s multisport team. There are still other multisport contests pending as of this writing.
As the Philippines won the gold medals of the SEA Games all-women relay, the all-men relay and the mixed relay, December 17, 2025 is a day that will be remembered for a long time. For visual reference, posted below are the social media posts from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
2 silvers and a bronze in SEA Games aquathlon events
During their first day of SEA Games competition in Thailand, the same multisport team won two silver medals and one bronze medal in the aquathlon relay contests (all-women, all-men and mixed). For insight, posted below is the excerpt from the Inquirer sports report. Some parts in boldface…
Team Philippines nabbed two silver medals and a bronze in the aquathlon in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games on Tuesday at Leam Mae Phim, Klaeng Distic in Rayong.
Kira Ellis, Matthew Hermosa, Raven Faith Alcoseba, and Andrew Remolino clocked 1:04:58 to finish with a silver medal in the mixed team relay final.
The group fell short of surpassing Indonesia’s 1:04:14 as the latter won gold in the event. Malaysia finished with a bronze medal, finishing the race at 1:08:37.
Ellis, with Erika Nicole Burgos and Kim Mangrobang, also had a runner-up finish in the women’s relay final, with a time of 51:46.
Indonesia escaped the Philippines anew, winning the gold with a time of 51:23. Singapore won bronze with a 53:58 finish.
Remolino, Inaki Emil Lorbes, and Joshua Alexander Ramos earned a bronze medal from the men’s relay event, clocking 47:52.
Praise and thank the Lord for the victories and the opportunities for the Philippines’ multisports team to win more gold medals in the contests ahead of them.
Author Carlo Carrasco 