The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
TENNIS champion Alex Eala and volleyball ace Bryan Bagunas have been chosen to carry the Philippine flag during the opening ceremony of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok on Tuesday.
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino selected the two athletes, citing their prominence and impact in their respective sports.
“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 noted on Tuesday
Eala’s rapid ascent has rewritten Philippine tennis history, becoming the country’s highest-ranked woman in the WTA and the first Filipina to advance beyond the opening round of the US Open.
Bagunas, meanwhile, emerged as the driving force of the Alas Pilipinas men’s squad in last September’s FIVB World Championship.
He powered the team to a landmark triumph over perennial African titleholder Egypt and played a key role in their near-upset of Asian contender Iran.
Tolentino emphasized that selecting the country’s flag-bearers has always been a vital responsibility for the POC. He said the honor is reserved for athletes whose achievements and presence inspire not only their fellow national team members but also the broader Filipino youth.
“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 said.
The Philippines was originally allotted a 300-strong contingent for the parade at Rajamangala National Stadium, though that number may be reduced to around 200 due to the year-long mourning period for Queen Sirikit and the recent Songkhla tragedy.
The Philippines is sending nearly 1,700 athletes to the SEA Games, which will feature 574 events across 50 sports.
The competitions will now be staged primarily in Bangkok and Chonburi after Songkhla was removed as a host city due to severe flooding.
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Eala will be flag-bearer for Team Philippines in the SEA Games. Photo courtesy of Eala’s FB page
Bagunas will be flag-bearer for Team Philippines. In the SEA Games. FIVB photo