Camille Naredo

PAI secretary Eric Buhain (left) and PSC Chairman Patrick Gregorio during the final day of the 4th Southeast Asian Open Water Swimming Championships off the Boracay Newcoast in Malay, Aklan, August 23, 2026. Handout/PSC

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Southeast Asian Open Water Swimming Championships

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787565609693att.s7Vm0L8iM7IjILWkMwUS4iPnGXJdtpnZ9-QHPqVFkO0.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="PAI secretary Eric Buhain (left) and PSC Chairman Patrick Gregorio during the final day of the 4th Southeast Asian Open Water Swimming Championships off the Boracay Newcoast in Malay, Aklan, August 23, 2026. Handout/PSC"/>PAI secretary Eric Buhain (left) and PSC Chairman Patrick Gregorio during the final day of the 4th Southeast Asian Open Water Swimming Championships off the Boracay Newcoast in Malay, Aklan, August 23, 2026. Handout/PSC</div>MANILA — The Philippine Aquatics Inc. is confident about hosting bigger international events in the future after its successful hosting of the 4th Southeast Asia Open Water Swimming Championships in Boracay this weekend.&quot;We are grateful that we staged  this international open water swimming showcase smoothly. It has opened up chances in hosting similar but bigger events in the future,&quot; said Philippine Aquatics Inc. secretary general Eric Buhain, who was hands-on in staging the meet from start to finish.&quot;The opportunities are there now that we have laid the foundation in organizing and hosting bigger international events because of the lessons learned and experiences we&#x27;ve had here,&quot; Buhain noted.<a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/8/23/ph-swimmers-claim-2-bronzes-at-4th-sea-open-water-meet-1806">Two Filipino swimmers registered podium finishes</a> in the final day of the competition, with Jie Angela Mikaela Talosig winning bronze in the women&#x27;s 20-year-old and above division, while Julia Jewels Pobleto also claimed bronze in the girls&#x27; 12-13-year-old 3-km contest.According to Buhain, they received positive feedback from the participants of the three-day meet, including World Aquatics evaluator Damian Van de Berg of Australia.&quot;For this event to be approved by World Aquatics, it must have a WA evaluator for referees, so basically that is why I am here,&quot; Van de Berg said. &quot;And I could see overall the joy and pride of those who are involved in the hosting.&quot;It has been an honor and privilege to witness that.&quot;Asked if possible bigger international open water swimming meets could be staged in the Philippines, Van de Berg replied: &quot;Absolutely. The infrastructure needs to be on a bigger scale but all the core parts are there.&quot;&quot;From what I have seen, there is a basis for the future of staging Asian open water championships and World Cups. They come with significant costs for the hosts and your government,  but all you need to do is to scale up,&quot; explained the veteran international open water swimming referee of four world championships.&quot;As I told (PAI secretary general) Eric, your local organizing committee should be congratulated for what has been a first-rate hosting. It was done pretty well. Sky is the limit for the Philippines in hosting future bigger open water meets,&quot; he said.This was good news for PSC Chairman Patrick Gregorio, a strong advocate of sports tourism.&quot;Indeed, this competition serves as a test run, a dress rehearsal for hosting bigger international open water in the future not only in Boracay but in our other attractive beach destinations,&quot; he said.&quot;This is now our strategic, two-pronged approach in promoting and developing sports and tourism: providing platforms for our athletes to play against the best from overseas while generating income for our country in showcasing our tourist attractions,&quot; Gregorio added.

The Philippine Aquatics Inc. is confident about hosting bigger international events in the future after its successful hosting of the 4th Southeast Asia Open Water Swimming Championships in Boracay this weekend.

The Philippine Aquatics Inc. is confident about hosting bigger international events in the future after its successful hosting of the 4th Southeast Asia Open Water Swimming Championships in Boracay this weekend.

PH Aquatics Inc. eyes bigger events after Boracay open water meet

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PH Aquatics Inc. eyes bigger events after Boracay open water meet

ABS-CBN News

Published August 24, 2026 06:04 PM PHT

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Boracay

Philippine Aquatics Inc.

Eric Buhain

Southeast Asia Open Water Swimming Championships

Philippine Sports Commission

PSC

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