The 33rd edition of the Southeast Asian Games has yet to reach its halfway mark, but reports of the manipulation of results have already surfaced.

First, gymnast Aleah Finnegan was supposedly set to bag the gold medal in the vault event of the women’s artistic gymnastics. But to everyone’s surprise, she got the silver with a score of 13.334 behind Thi Quynh Nhu Nguyen of Vietnam with 13.400.

Filipino sports officials were up in arms. Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines asked for a recomputation to make sure Finnegan, an Olympian, was not robbed of the precious gold.

Fortunately, the judges admitted what they claimed was a “technical glitch,” and Finnegan was awarded the gold medal with a score of 13.433.

The following day, it happened again. John Ivan Cruz delivered an impressive performance in the vault event of the men’s artistic gymnastics. Surprisingly, his score flashed on streaming services was 13.817, prompting his coach, Nedal Alyousef, to file a protest. 

After a review, Cruz’s score was tweaked upward to 13.833, putting him in a tie with Malaysian Muhammad Aimy for a share of the gold medal.

These cases were not isolated. Prior to that, the bus carrying the Gilas Pilipinas basketball team mysteriously conked out in the middle of the road, leaving the players with no choice but to step down while Ray Parks and some teammates posted their harrowing experience of a long delay on social media.

Yes, the transportation service during major international tournaments is not immaculate. Cases like that really happen. But it doesn’t help that before that, Gilas Pilipinas was the target of the host country’s head-scratching eligibility rules that pulled some of its best players like Justin Brownlee, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, Mike Phillps and Kymani Ladi out of the roster.

With all these setbacks, don’t you think it’s time for Team Philippines to rethink its priorities and focus its attention on major events like the Asian Games, the World Championships and the Olympics instead?

Look, the SEA Games are mere regional games, a sportsfest among 11 neighboring countries, including the Philippines. Here, organizers have considerable freedom in determining what sports will be played and what rules will be applied, leading to an inconsistent program where Olympic sports are often sidelined in favor of niche events and demonstration sports that aim to jack up the medal haul of the host country.

In short, the SEA Games are not really the yardstick as the undue advantage given to the host country undermines the objectives of the other competitors. It is a tournament that is organized to justify the massive spending of the host country in exchange for its pampered ego and other recognitions.

This is where prioritization becomes critical. After what they branded on social media as a “cooking show” in Thailand, Filipino sports officials have to decide whether it’s still worth it to send a massive delegation powered by Olympians and Asian Games medalists to the SEA Games.

Instead of sending the country’s elite athletes who will only be subjected to manipulation by the host country, the POC can use the SEA Games for a more strategic purpose — as a developmental venue. Deploying the rising stars and other up-and-coming athletes to this regional event will give them valuable exposure, competitive experience and the chance to test their abilities in a multi-sport environment without the overwhelming pressure of the Asian Games, World Championships and the Olympics. 

For many rising talents, the SEA Games can be a stepping stone, not the finish line. It provides a practical environment to build confidence, refine skills and learn how to navigate the intensity of international competition.

Prioritizing other major events over the SEA Games is an essential evolution. If the Philippines truly wants to transform into a sports powerhouse, it must set its sights higher and commit to competitions that demand nothing less than excellence — not a mere sportsfest among neighboring countries.