Filipino athletes, led by flag-bearers tennis player Alex Eala and Alas Pilipinas men's team captain Bryan Bagunas, at the opening ceremony of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games at the Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on December 9, 2025. POC Media
MANILA – A number of the country's golden triumphs in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games came from Filipina athletes, who made 'herstory' and claimed their thrones in their respective sports.
Team Philippines brought home a total of 50 gold, 73 silver and 154 bronze medals in the regional showcase, 20 of which came from Filipinas in individual and team sports.
The Philippine National Women's Football Team, more known as the Filipinas, took home the country's first-ever SEA Games gold in the sport.
It was not an easy road to gold for the Filipinas, who lost their opening assignment with a 2-1 loss against Myanmar. The Filipinas were also close to ending their journey against hosts Thailand, but a late goal from Jael Guy in regulation sparked hope, sending the match to penalty shootouts.
Backed by their grit and heart, the Filipinas beat the host nation 4-2 to book their first-ever finals ticket.
The Filipinas stunned four-time defending champions Vietnam in the thrilling final.
Guy, Alexa Pino, Hali Long, Angie Beard, Ariana Isabella Markey, and Jaclyn Sawicki got the first part of the job done converting on their penalties.
Ultimately, a save from goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel delivered the gold, as the country ended the reign of Vietnam with a 6-5 win.
"I'm proud to be Filipino and play for this country. People are always doubting us and saying we don't belong here. We belong in the conversations and we belong on top. We're continuing to prove that again and again," she told POC Media.
The Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons-led Alas Pilipinas team likewise reigned supreme on the sands, as new queens of beach volleyball in the region.
The Alas Pilipinas women's beach volleyball team composed of Rondina, Pons, Dij Rodriguez and Sunnie Villapando ended the streak of Thailand, who were eight-time champions in the event.
Their squad won the country's first-ever beach volleyball gold, as well as the country's first gold in volleyball since 1993 when the country also beat Thailand.
"Sobrang saya lalo na sa amin ni Pons kasi pang-lima namin ito at nakapag-gold din kami sa international. Sobrang grateful kasi may mga kasama kami, teammates, coaches at management na nagtitiwala sa amin," Rondina told POC Media.
"I think consistency talaga yung napakita namin kaya kami nakapag gold ngayon and siyempre yung tiwala talaga namin," she added.
The Alas women's beach volleyball team was out for redemption after bronze medal finished in 2019 and 2021, while failing to miss out on the podium in the 2023 edition.
"Minanifest ko talaga itong gold namin. Ilang beses ko inimagine yung moment na ito. Minsan, naluluha na lang ako bigla kasi na-imagine yung moment na ito. So, totoo pala talaga yung manifestation. Pero siyempre, may kasamang hard work," Pons shared.
"Isa din talaga ito sa reason namin kung bakit kami pumalik sa beach [volleyball]. Kasi gusto namin talagang bumawi. Gusto namin talagang paiyakin sila sa sarili nilang lupa. So, ito na yun. Nangyari na," she added.
Filipina tennis ace Alex Eala continued to make herstory for the Philippines, this time in the regional showcase.
Eala captured gold in women's singles tennis after dominating hometown bet Mananchaya Sawangkaew in the final 6-1, 6-2, ending the 26-year gold medal drought in the SEA Games.
The World No. 53 ranked Eala joins Maricris Fernandez (1999) and Pia Tamayo (1981) as the only Filipinas who won gold in women's singles tennis.
The first SEA Games gold added more shine to Eala's already illustrious year which includes reaching the Miami Open semifinals, hitting a career-high rank of World No. 50, winning her first Grand Slam main draw match and winning her first-ever WTA 125 title.
"Matagal ko nang pinapangarap yun na ako yung makakadala ng ganung pride sa Pilipinas. So I'm so thankful and I'm so humbled to be representing the Philippines," Eala told POC Media.
"SEA Games is something, I think it's very different from the tour because it's very personal to us... It's special in that way... Kaya siya ganun ka-importante sa aming pamilya," she said on why the SEA Games gold ranks another level.
The Philippine Women's Softball Team, more known as the RP Blu GIrls, extended their dominance in Southeast Asia.
The RP Blu Girls won their 11th straight gold in the SEA Games, after overpowering Singapore 4-1 in the final.
The team makes history as the only country that has won the women's softball competition since it was first staged in 1979.
At just 11 years old, skateboarder Mazel Paris Alegado made history as the country's youngest gold medalist in the SEA Games.
All smiles and just vibing during the final, Alegado topped the extreme skateboard women's park event in the regional showcase.
Alegado's compatriot and fellow 11-year-old Filipina skateboarder Elizabeth Amador took home silver for the country in the same event.
"It feels crazy 'cause it's my first SEA Games and I'm so proud to represent the Philippines. It's so hyped, everyone was hyping me up. It was so funny, we were dancing and having fun," Alegado told POC Media.
"I love inspiring people, especially little kids and little girls. I hope a lot of people saw that and I hope they start skating like how I got inspired by my brother," she shared.
The Philippine women's swimming team likewise made a splash and history in the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand.
Kayla Sanchez, Xiandi Chua, Chloe Isleta, and Heather White ended the reign of longtime powerhouse Singapore in the women's 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay.
The quartet clocked in the fastest time of 3 minutes and 44.26 seconds to give the Philippines its first gold medal in the event, handing Singapore defeat for the first time since 2013.
"It's very special for me and my teammates. My whole family is here. I'm very excited to make the country proud... I like the race. I like the chase, so I was just really excited to get in the water and swim," Sanchez told POC Media.
"I think we all went in knowing we kind of had a chance to win especially since being in lane 4. And I think we just carried through that confidence and played like we had nothing to lose," White added.
Sanchez went on to win two more golds and five silvers, mostly in individual events, making her the most bemedaled Filipina athlete in the 33rd SEA Games.
Following her triumphs, the Olympian will be receiving P1.2 million in cash incentives.
Wushu athlete Agatha Wong continued her reign as queen of Southeast Asia.
Wong bagged her sixth gold medal in the regional showcase, after ruling the women's taolu taijiquan-taijijian event.
The six-time SEA Games gold medalist admitted this year was the hardest for her, as she juggled medicine school with training.
"I just really tried to do my best because it's not every day you get to represent your country. Now that I ended my year with a gold medal, I am really happy. Coming to Bangkok, I was really scared. But I’m going home a champion," Wong told POC Media.
In athletics, 16-year-old Naomi Cesar, the daughter of former national athlete Ben, made her mark in the women's 800m hurdles event.
After copping silver in the Asian Youth Games, Cesar struck gold in the SEA Games.
The younger Cesar brought home the first gold for their family, with her older sister Malea following suit with the Filipinas.
"I’m so honored and I’m always so proud to represent the country. To win gold is a dream come true," she said.
In taekwondo, Tachiana Mangin made history in her first SEA Games appearance.
The 18-year-old taekwondo jin struck gold in the women's kyorugi 49kg division, beating Thailand's Kamonchanok Seeken in the final.
Mangin's victory ended the reign of the host nation in the division, which saw Thai taekwondo jins win eight straight gold medals in the regional showcase.
Another SEA Games debutant, 38-year-old Kimberly Custodio, added another gold to her growing collection.
The three-time jiu-jitsu world champion ruled the women's ne-waza 48kg division, defeating hometown bet Sugun Nutchaya in the gold medal match.
Custodio's victory seemed like a repeat of her success in Thailand just a month ago, when she won her third title in the Jiu-Jitsu International Federation World Championships (JJIF).
The 38-year-old told ABS-CBN News before the regional showcase she had no expectations heading to Thailand, especially since she moved up from her usual 45kg weightclass.
"Sobrang happy kasi nagbunga lahat ng paghihirap namin ng coaches ko, ng mga teammates ko saka ng mga taong nagtitiwala sa akin," she told POC Media.
"Gusto ko pang maging champion sa AIMAG and also Asian Games. But then yung pinaka ultimate goal ko talaga is yung mga students ko makarating sa narating ko ngayon at ma-feel nila yung na-fefeel kong joy," Custodio added.