PHILIPPINES TO HOST INAUGURAL SOUTHEAST ASIAN PLUS YOUTH GAMES IN 2027

The Philippines will host the first-ever Southeast Asian Plus Youth Games from December 2 to 14, 2027, a regional tournament for Under-17 athletes held a year before the Asian Youth Games. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, Philippine Olympic Committee President, will serve as founding president of the games, while Patrick “Pato” Gregorio, Philippine Sports Commission chairman, will lead the Local Organizing Committee. Participating countries include Southeast Asian nations and invited “plus” nations such as Japan, South Korea, Qatar, and Bahrain, competing in Mandatory, Olympic, Non-Olympic, and Traditional sports including aquatics, athletics, basketball, Arnis, and mixed martial arts. Venues will include the Rizal Memorial Coliseum, New Clark City Aquatic Center, SMX Convention Center, Subic Bay Freeport, and Tagaytay Skate Park. Tolentino emphasized that the games will strengthen grassroots development, providing a bridge from Palarong Pambansa and Batang Pinoy programs to higher-level competitions, with plans to make the SEAP YG a biennial event.