MANILA — The Philippines will host the first Southeast Asian Plus Youth Games (SEA Plus YG), a youth-focused multi-sport event aimed at preparing athletes for the Asian Youth Games (AYG) and Youth Olympic Games (YOG), the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) announced.

Designed for athletes aged 17 and under, the SEA Plus YG will be held at least a year before the AYG, offering a platform to strengthen grassroots talent and develop future Olympians.

POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, who spearheaded the initiative, will serve as the founding president. The event has already secured support from nine of the 11 Southeast Asian Games national Olympic committees (NOCs), including Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Timor Leste.

Tolentino said the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has expressed full backing, with Director General Dr. Husain AHZ Al-Musallam noting that participation by countries is optional.

“The SEA Plus YG is Southeast Asia’s answer to molding athletes at the grassroots level, making them competitive at the AYG and capable of winning medals at the YOG,” Tolentino said.

The inaugural edition is planned for Manila in 2028 and will be staged biennially to align with the AYG. The program will feature:

• Two mandatory sports
• Up to 12 Olympic sports
• Up to five Asian non-Olympic sports
• One traditional sport with up to six medal events

The “Plus” in the Games’ name refers to inviting at least one NOC from another Asian sub-region to enhance competition and provide broader exposure for regional athletes.

Tolentino emphasized that the event is not only elite-level and developmental but also culturally unifying, establishing a strong foundation for young athletes to eventually compete in the Summer and Winter Olympics.

In the recent AYG in Bahrain, the Philippines claimed a record nine gold medals, placing it second among Southeast Asian nations behind Thailand, which won 15. Thailand continues to lead regional performance overall, followed by Singapore (16 golds), the Philippines (9), Vietnam (6), and Indonesia and Malaysia (5 each).

The SEA Plus YG, Tolentino said, will nurture young talent while promoting sporting excellence and cultural exchange across Southeast Asia and beyond.