Manila: Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham 'Bambol' Tolentino has selected tennis player Alexandra Eala and volleyball player Bryan Bagunas as the flag bearers for Team Philippines at the opening ceremony of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) in Bangkok.

According to Philippines News Agency, Tolentino emphasized that Eala and Bagunas were chosen not only for their popularity but also for their significant contributions to the global sports community. He stated that their achievements make them the ideal candidates to lead the Philippine delegation during the parade of athletes at the Rajamangala National Stadium.

The Philippines is set to send a 300-member delegation to the Games, although this number might be reduced to 200 due to the year-long mourning for Queen Sirikit and the Songkhla disaster. The Games will feature nearly 1,700 athletes from the Philippines competing in 574 events across 50 sports, held in the main hubs of Bangkok and Chonburi, following the exclusion of Songkhla due to severe flooding.

Eala has made history in Philippine tennis by becoming the highest-ranked Filipina in the Women's Tennis Association and being the first from the country to advance past the first round of the US Open. Bagunas played a pivotal role in the Alas Pilipinas Men's Team's historic victory over Egypt during the FIVB World Championship last September, contributing to a memorable match against Iran.

Tolentino highlighted the importance of selecting flag bearers who have a significant impact and inspirational appeal to both national athletes and the Filipino youth. He noted that the qualities of motivation, hard work, and accomplishment are key factors in the selection process.