Manila, Philippines, March 10, 2026: Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino has unveiled his brainchild event that will benefit not just Filipino athletes but their counterparts from across Asia as well.
Dubbed the SEA Plus YG (Youth Games), the region's newest multi-sport event will feature young athletes from 11 Southeast Asian nations alongside 12 invited Asian countries. The Philippines will host the inaugural edition from December 2-14, 2027.
"Our aim here is to provide a new avenue for our young athletes to gain better exposure in their bids to dominate ASEAN, Asian and, hopefully, world events in the future," Tolentino said during the launch at the Philippine Sports Commission Media Room on March 9.
"Before, our young athletes only had the Palarong Pambansa (for student athletes) and Batang Pinoy (for youth athletes under 17) to compete in; then they go immediately to the Asian Youth Games. The SEA Plus YG fills the void in between so we can better prepare them," he added.
Tolentino stressed that, through the programme, Filipino youth can better gauge their development while accessing higher-level competition, as the SEA Plus YG will serve as a precursor to the Asian Youth Games and, subsequently, the IOC Youth Olympic Games.
For his part, Philippine Sports Commission chairman Patrick Gregorio expressed full support and praised Tolentino's initiative.
