A big, fighting Filipino delegation will be going to war in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games.

Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio said they are preparing to send a record number of athletes in the prestigious biennial meet set in Thailand from 9 to 20 December.

In fact, they are approving all the funding requests of national sports associations (NSAs) to make sure that they will be prepared and equipped as they seek to maintain their fifth-place standing in the previous Games in Phnom Penh two years ago.

The PSC and the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) are eyeing to deploy around 1,600 athletes to the upcoming SEA Games, surpassing the 1,115 athletes who competed during the country’s hosting of the biennial conclave in 2019.

“Earlier, we just finished our board meeting. I saw a lot of requests because of the Southeast Asian Games,” Gregorio said after meeting NSA leaders during the general assembly last Tuesday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

“When I see the words ‘Southeast Asian Games,’ it’s a ‘yes’ right there. We will not hesitate to approve those requests.”

POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said he is no longer surprised with the possibility of sending a big delegation due to the inclusion of some winter sports like ice hockey and ice skating aside from other team events like floorball, futsal and cheerleading.

All in all, the Thais have programed a total of 574 events in 50 sports, surpassing the Philippines’ hosting in 2019 that featured 530 events in 56 sports.

“There’s a lot of team events like floorball, futsal, cheerleading, basketball, volleyball, and even winter sports like hockey and ice skating,” Tolentino said, stressing that he wants to stay close to their previous performance of 58 gold, 86 silver and 116 bronze medals in Phnom Penh two years ago.

“Maintaining our previous standing is okay for us. Thailand and the other countries are sending 2,000 delegates. So, compared to them, sending 1,600 athletes is still low.”

But winning the overall title will not be easy.

The last time the Filipinos lifted the overall title was when it hosted in 2019, finishing with 149 gold, 117 silver and 121 bronze medals.

The POC, however, is expected to send its strongest team ever with no less than Olympic medalists Carlos Yulo, Nesthy Petecio, Aira Villegas, Carlo Paalam and Hidilyn Diaz spearheading at the helm together with Asian record-holder Ernest John Obiena, John Cabang and Lauren Hoffman.

If plans don’t miscarry, tennis sensation Alex Eala will be donning the national colors, the same way she did when she plucked two bronze medals in the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023.

Gregorio said with the newfound cooperation among the POC, PSC and national sports association leaders, the Philippines might just have a chance to prove itself as the best country in the SEA Games.

“When I was POC sec-gen, I saw how President Bambol prepared the lineup and who would be the opponent. He has a very strategic plan for the Southeast Asian Games,” Gregorio said.