WITH the 25th  Southeast Asian Games in  Laos fast approaching, we  sat  down to  gather some of  our  thoughts  for the  biennial  sports  competition.
 
-- The first SEA Games (then  known as  Southeast Asian  Peninsular Games) was first held in Bangkok, Thailand  on  Dec. 12-17, 1959 with six  countries as  founding  members. The  Philippines  became a  member of  the federation on Feb. 5, 1977.
   
-- Thailand, one of  the six founding  members,  hosted  the SEA Games for a record six times in  1959, 1967, 1975, 1985, 1995 and 2007. Malaysia is   second with  five hostings  in  1965, 1971, 1977,  1989  and 2001. The  Philippines, on the other hand, was the  host  three   times  --  1981, 1991 and  2005.
   
-- The  former  Indonesian  territory of  East Timor is the latest  member-country to be admitted  to  the SEA Games,  bringing  the   total  number to 11.
   
-- Indonesia, which became a full-time   member in 1977, is the  winningest country with nine overall championships  since 1977,  followed   by  Thailand with four and  the  Philippines, Malaysia and  Vietnam with one each.  Thailand, however, has  10 titles  overall if   we  include the  first  eight ediitions when it was still  known as  SEAP.
   
-- In  the all-time  medal count from first  SEAP Games in Bangkok in 1959  up to the 24th  SEA Games in Nakhon Ratachasima, in 2007, Thailand has won a  total of 4,430 medals  (1,692 golds,  1379 silvers and 1,359  bronzes).  Indonesia  is second with  3,764   medals  (1,377 golds,  1,209  silvers and  1,178  bronzes), and  Malaysia is third  with 3,080  medals   (900 golds, 937 silvers and   1,243 bronzes). The Philippines is a close fourth overall with  2,706 medals ( 763 golds, 880  silvers and  1,063 bronzes).
   
-- The  Philippines bagged its first  and only overall championship  when it  hosted the 2005 SEA Games in  Manila, winning 113 gold  medals   against  only 87 by Thailand and 71 by Vietnam.  When it first hosted the SEA Games in 1981, the Philippines  won  only  55 gold medals.  In  the 1991 Manila  SEA Games, the Philippines  barely missed the overall  title with   90 golds against Indonesia’s  92.
     
-- In 1991, the Philippines should    have  won   91 gold medals but   one  of   the  gold  medal  from   boxing   was declared  unofficial. The    SEAG  organizers initially counted the gold when the  Thai  boxer was found postive in  a  doping test, but later declared that there will be no gold and silver medalists in the said boxing  event since  there  was no battle fought. 
     
-- Malaysia and Vietnam  also won  their  lone SEA Games overall crown when they hosted the event  in 2001 and 2003, respectively.
   
-- The Philippines’  42-91-96 gold-silver-bronze   medal output during the 2007  SEA Games in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand  was  its  worst  ever  since  its  entry in  1977. A  total of   620  athletes participated   in  41  different sports events  but finished only sixth overall.
    
-- Three Filipino athletes   --  swimmers Akiko  Thomson   (Kuala Lumpur, 1989),  Eric Buhain ( Manila, 1991) and   Miguel Molina ( 2007, Nakhon    Ratchasima) ---  have been named  Most Valuable  Player  for  outstanding SEA Games  performance.
   
-- Bowler  Bong Coo  emerged as the most  successful Filipino athletes  during the 1981 Manila SEA  Games, winning four golds and  two silvers in six events.
   
-- Athletics and aquatics ( swimming)  bagged th emost number of gold medals for the Philippines during the 2005 Manila SEA Games, winning nine  gold  medals each.  Billiards and boxing  won eight gold medals  apiece.
     
-- In  2005 Manila SEA Games, the  popular song Pinoy Ako by   local band Orange and Lemons served as th unofficial theme  song of Team Philippines.
     
-- In  the 1991 Manila  SEA Games, the  official  mascot was  Kiko  Labuyo. In   2005, it Gilas, the  Philippine  Eagle.
     
-- The  University of Life Track and  Field  Arena (ULTRA) was built on  orders of President Marcos as  one of the venues for the 1991 Manila SEA Games. The adjacent   apartments, which served as athletes’ quarters, were  later converted  into BLISS Housing by First Lady Imelda  Romualdez-Marcos.
   
-- Based on the rotation of hosting  among member-countries, the  Philippines  will take its turn to  host  the SEA Games for its  30th edition on 2019.

           
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The People’s Tonight sports staff  would  like to express our deepest  condolences   to  the   family of   six-time   world  champion   Paeng    Nepomuceno,  whose  father-manager   Angel   passed  away  last Saturday  (Oct. 31)   due to lingering  illness   at  the age  of   81. 
   
Fondly  known as  “Pappy” by close  friends in the  bowling  community,  Nepumuceno  is largely   credited  for  the  rise  of   son Paeng  as the world’s most awarded  bowling  player.  
   
   
NOTES --- Belated birthday  greetings to   University of the  East   Junior Warriors coach Mark   Herrera, who   celebrated last Oct. 30...
   
Birthday  greetings  also  to   my kumpare, Willie Caballes of t he Manila   Bulletin, who is  celebrating  today, Nov. 3.
   
Best   wishes, too, to former San   Sebastian College player Chris Bade ( Oct. 31), Mico Santos  (Oct. 31),   Jayson Luna (Nov. 3)  and   Nixon  Canlapan (Nov. 5).


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