THE PHILIPPINES celebrated its strongest showing yet at the ASEAN Para Games, powered by a surge of gold medals in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand over the weekend.

As of 4 p.m. Sunday, Team Philippines tallied 38 golds, 31 silvers, and 47 bronzes, securing fourth place and surpassing its previous record of 34-33-50 from the 2023 Games in Cambodia.

Athletics star Cyril Ongcoy captured his second gold of the tournament in the men’s 5,000-meter T12 race, finishing in 17 minutes and 32.19 seconds. He outpaced Vietnam’s Binh Van Nguyen (21:03.27) and Tung Giang Nguyen (22:49.29). Ongcoy had earlier set a new meet record of 4:26.32 in the men’s 1,500-meter T12 event on Wednesday, marking his first gold.

“I’ve always said this is my main event. I wasn’t going to lose here,” Ongcoy said in a statement.

Another highlight came from Cleford Trocino, who won gold in the men’s 800-meter T52 with a time of 2:00.16. Filipino team captain Jerrold Mangliwan added a silver at 2:00.73, while Thailand’s 2004 Athens Paralympic bronze medalist Peth Rungsri took bronze in 2:01.31.

In swimming, Gary Bejino earned his fourth gold, clocking 1:11.40 in the men’s 100-meter freestyle S6 at the 80th Birthday Aquatics Center. Filipino athletes were also competing in the men’s wheelchair basketball final against host Thailand at Terminal 21 Korat, as well as in the Blitz chess category at Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University.

Thailand is set to top the medal standings with 165 golds, 151 silvers, and 146 bronzes. Indonesia, the 2023 overall champion, ranks second with 128-130-106, followed by Malaysia with 60-58-69. Vietnam sits fifth with 34-46-52, while Myanmar, Singapore, Timor-Leste, Laos, and Brunei round out the leaderboard.

The Thai contingent excelled in swimming and athletics, with standout performances from Ekkaphan Songwichean in the 200-meter individual medley, Suneephan Thanomwong (women’s 400m T11), Jakarin Damunee (men’s 400m T13), and Amornthep Phonphanna (men’s 200m T38).

Filipino swimmer Angel Otom also shone, winning her fifth gold and sixth overall medal in the 50-meter freestyle S4-S5 on Saturday with a time of 44.51 seconds. The 22-year-old 2024 Paris Paralympian surpassed her previous best of four golds and one silver from the 2023 Cambodia Games.

“It’s very fulfilling to have won all five of my individual events and secured a silver in the 4×50 freestyle relay,” Otom said. “In Cambodia, I couldn’t win the fifth gold because I wasn’t fully ready.”