POC appoints officials for major games, approves PHP35M budget

The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) appointed key officials during its first general assembly on Wednesday in Paranaque City, including Ricky Vargas as chef de mission for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics and Al Panlilio for the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games.

Other appointments include Rep. Richard Gomez for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Dr. Jose Raul Canlas for the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand, and Stephen Arapoc for the Chengdu 2025 World Games.

Richard Lim was named chef de mission to the Asian Winter Games in Harbin starting February 7-14, while the chef de mission has yet to be determined for the Third Asian Youth Olympics Games from October 22-31 in Bahrain.

The POC also approved a working budget of PHP35 million for 2025, which is PHP8 million less than last year's due to preparations and participation in the Paris Olympics.

POC president Abraham 'Bambol' Tolentino emphasized that early preparation is crucial to avoid any excuses and ensure readiness for international competitions.