The 216-man Philippine team to the 13th ASEAN Para Games is set to fly to Thailand on 15 January, five days before the opening rites in Nakhon Ratchasima.

National team head coach Joel Deriada said they are slowing down in their training.

“We are now in the tapering off period, which is the final touch of the training. This is where the athlete’s conditioning is fine-tuned. All the hard work done at the start of preparation is meant to peak during this phase, which is one of the most important parts of the entire training cycle,” Deriada said.

“One of the challenges we faced was the weather in Thailand. It’s much drier there than here, which is why it helped that we arrived early. We got there on the 15th, while competition only started on the 21st, so the athletes have enough time to adjust to the conditions at the venue.”

“Personally, I don’t really care about the medals if you don’t give your 100 percent. Even if you don’t win a medal, as long as you give everything you have, that’s what matters to me.”

The Philippines finished with 10 golds, 10 silvers and 11 bronze medals in the 12th edition of the event in Cambodia in 2023.

Deriada said that more than medals, they aim to hit the qualifying times for the Asian Para Games in Japan from 18 to 24 October.

“The competition will be registered with World Para Athletics. It’s not sanctioned, but it is registered, which means the performances and records will still be recognized,” Deriada said.

“With the Asian Para Games coming up in October, this event serves as one of our important pathways in preparation.”

Cendy Asusano of women’s javelin and flag bearer Jerrold Mangliwan of wheelchair racing are expected to banner the Philippines in this tournament for differently-abled bodies.