THE Southeast Asian Games have concluded. Our family was blessed to be there for a week, watching volleyball and tennis, and taking in the energy of live competition.
Based on what I personally saw, it was a well-run event. Aside from several widely discussed cases of questionable officiating, it was a success — especially for the host nation.
Thailand topped the medal table with 233 gold medals. Indonesia followed. Vietnam came next. The Philippines finished sixth with 50 golds, 73 silvers, and 154 bronzes.
Rather than debating whether the PINAS showing was a success or a disappointment, it may be more productive to step back and ask two basic questions.
QUESTION NO. 1: Why are the medal swings between host and non-host nations so dramatic?
Six years ago, when the Philippines hosted the SEA Games in 2019, I was there with my daughter Jana. We watched multiple events and experienced firsthand what homecourt advantage really means. That December, the Philippines won 149 gold medals. This year, competing in Bangkok, that number dropped to 50 — a difference of nearly 100 gold medals.
When Vietnam hosted in 2021, they topped the gold medal tally with 205. They were down to 87 last week.
Now look at Thailand. In 2019, when we hosted the Games, Thailand won 92 gold medals. In 2025, as host, that number surged to 233 — more than two-and-a-half times more.
These aren’t isolated cases. Across several SEA Games editions, host nations enjoy massive jumps in gold medals, while visiting teams often see steep declines. That pattern alone invites reflection.
Why does this happen — and why is it allowed to happen?
This can’t be explained by better preparation and crowd support alone.
The SEA Games are unique in that host countries are given wide latitude to choose sports and determine how many medal events are contested. That flexibility has cultural value. It allows traditional and regional disciplines to be showcased. But it also produces medal tables that swing wildly from one edition to the next.
In the grandest sporting stage — the Olympics — hosts benefit, no question. But not to this degree. In the Olympics (and even the Asian Games), the core sports remain largely stable. The competitive field doesn’t tilt dramatically like the SEAG does every two years.
This first question is about balance. How much swing is healthy before results stop being comparable?
QUESTION NO. 2: Why are we ranked solely by gold medals — and not by total medals?
If the 2025 SEA Games were ranked by total medals instead of golds alone, the Philippines would not be sixth. We would be fourth, just one medal behind Vietnam — and ahead of Malaysia and Singapore.
Total medals tell a different story. They reflect depth. They show how many athletes reached podiums and how many programs are competitive.
Gold medals reward excellence at the very top — and they should. But dismissing silver and bronze entirely ignores progress across multiple sports.
A funny note: if the standings were based purely on bronze medals, the Philippines, with 154 bronzes, would be SEAG champions! Ha-ha.