TACLOBAN CITY– Ormoc City is set to make one of its strongest showings yet in international sports as Leyte 4th district Representative Richard Gomez and his daughter, national team fencer Juliana Marie Beatriz Torres Gomez, lead a 19-athlete contingent representing the Philippines in the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand.
The Games, which will run from December 9 to 20, 2025 in Bangkok, Chonburi, and Songkhla, will feature one of Ormoc’s largest and most diverse athlete delegations—solidifying the city’s growing reputation as an emerging sports powerhouse.
Rep. Gomez, a former SEA Games gold medalist and a long-time advocate of sports development, is returning to international competition in Compak Shooting. He will compete alongside fellow Ormocanons Carlo Baltonado and Jed Rivilla, marking a rare instance of a sitting lawmaker participating as a national athlete.
His daughter, Juliana, will also carry the Ormoc banner as she competes in the Women’s Épée event with teammates Alexa Larrazabal and Ivy Claire Dinoy. Her participation continues the Gomez family’s legacy in fencing and reinforces Ormoc’s expanding footprint in the sport.
Ormoc’s remarkable presence at the 2025 SEA Games is widely attributed to the city’s sustained and strategic investment in athlete development—anchored on the SAPATOS Program (Support the Athletes in Pursuit of Accomplishing Life-Changing Opportunities in Sports). What began as a simple gesture of providing a young athlete with a pair of shoes has evolved into a comprehensive sports ecosystem. The program now supplies training support, equipment, mentorship, and long-term development pathways that have produced regional, national, and international champions.
With the leadership and continued support of Rep. Gomez and Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez, the city has strengthened its sports infrastructure, upgraded facilities, and expanded access to professional coaching.
These efforts have transformed Ormoc into one of the Philippines’ most dynamic training hubs, nurturing athletes across a wide range of disciplines.
In addition to fencing and shooting, Ormoc will also field competitors in modern pentathlon and basketball—further showcasing the city’s breadth of talent and commitment to athletic excellence.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
