The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) has announced Saturday that the country is positioned to host two major international multi-sport competitions, the Southeast Asian (SEA) Plus Youth Games and the Asian Beach Games (ABG), scheduled for late 2027 and early 2028.
POC President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino confirmed that the Philippines will host the inaugural SEA Plus Youth Games in late 2027.
This newly created event, spearheaded by Tolentino, is designed for athletes aged 17 and under to serve as a developmental platform for the Asian Youth Games (AYG) and the Youth Olympic Games (YOG).
In addition to the youth games, Tolentino revealed that the country is also slated to host the Asian Beach Games in early 2028.
While a specific venue for the ABG has yet to be announced, the POC chief noted that the timing aligns with the biennial cycle following the upcoming third edition in Sanya, China, this April.
“We will submit both letters [of intent] to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) before its General Assembly later this month in Tashkent,” Tolentino said, describing the submission as a “mere formality” following positive discussions with OCA leadership.
The hosting initiatives are part of a coordinated sports tourism campaign between the POC and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), led by Chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio.
The strategy has received backing from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. through the National Sports Tourism Inter-Agency Committee (NST-IAC).
“These coming international events fit well with the goal of the NST-IAC, and we at the POC are remaining proactive on these efforts,” added Tolentino.
The SEA Plus Youth Games will feature a program consisting of two mandatory sports, up to 12 Olympic sports, and five Asian non-Olympic sports.
The “Plus” designation refers to the inclusion of at least one invited National Olympic Committee from another Asian sub-region to enhance the level of competition for grassroots athletes.
Beyond these future hosting duties, the POC is preparing for a busy 2026 calendar, which includes the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics in February, the Sanya Asian Beach Games in April, and the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, in September.