Pilipinas Climbing Inc. president Alberto Agra (3rd from left) talks about the country’s participation in the ASEAN Climbing Championships during the Philippine Sports Association Forum at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex conference hall in Manila on Tuesday (July 1, 2025). He is joined by (from left) coach Miel Pahati, 2011 Indonesia Southeast Games boulder gold medalist Ina Pahati, PCI chair Franz Lim, and athletes Yca Dizon and John Veloria. (PNA photo by Jean Malanum)
The Philippines is gearing up to compete in the ASEAN Climbing Championships, slated for July 4 to 6 in Putrajaya, Malaysia.
Organized by the Malaysia Mountaineering Federation, the regional tournament will showcase the best climbers from Southeast Asia across three main disciplines: lead, bouldering, and speed climbing.
Representing the country is a 12-member national team composed of John Veloria, Yca Dizon, Ylo Dizon, Pets Suson, Liana Mora, Iman Mora, Jo Ala, Gianna Quintela, Gerardo Acebedo, Lissa Vidal, Johnny Forones, and Ninio Tabanao. The team is set to depart on Thursday.
Yca Dizon will compete in all three events, while Johnny Forones is entered in both bouldering and speed. Gerardo Acebedo will focus solely on speed, and the remaining athletes will participate in the lead and boulder categories.
“We’re not just joining to compete—we’re aiming to bring home gold,” said Pilipinas Climbing, Inc. (PCI) President Alberto Agra during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum held Tuesday at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
Agra, who also heads the national obstacle sports federation, shared that PCI is now recognized by the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) and is working toward full membership in the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and recognition from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
Following the Malaysia competition, the national team is scheduled to attend a training boot camp in Singapore in August to further sharpen their skills.
“This championship is a benchmark for our athletes. Our ultimate goal is to deliver a strong performance at the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand this December,” said PCI auditor Ina Pahati, a gold medalist in bouldering at the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia.
Sport climbing is gaining international traction, having been included in the lineup for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
“We have what it takes to be world-class in this sport,” said PCI chair Franz Lim, who emphasized that climbing is an inclusive sport open to all—even those with disabilities.
“This sport is for everyone. Our biggest challenge right now is sustainability, which is why gaining support from the POC and funding from the PSC is so important,” Agra added.
Competitive climbing is staged on artificial walls and features three disciplines:
- Speed, where athletes race side-by-side up a 15-meter wall;
- Lead, which tests how high a climber can go within a set time;
- Bouldering, which involves solving short but complex climbing “problems” without ropes.
According to Agra, there are currently 24 climbing gyms operating nationwide—a testament to the sport’s growing popularity in the Philippines.