SINGAPORE , 10 September 2025 – The Philippine Embassy invites kababayans to support the  five-member Philippine national team to the Toyota World Para Swimming Championships which will be held in Singapore from 21 to 27 September 2025. The event is organized by the Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC) and will take place at the OCBC Aquatic Centre within the Singapore Sports Hub.

This is the first time that the World Championships will be held in Asia. This prestigious competition will bring together over 600 top para-athletes from 60 nations, including the Philippines. The event will feature not only the top athletes from the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, but also rising stars aiming for the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, USA.

The Philippine team is composed of Paralympians Ernie Gawilan, Angel Otom, and Gary Bejino, alongside ASEAN Para Games medalists Marco Tinamisan and Ariel Joseph Alegarbes. They will compete on the following events:

1. Ernie Gawilan – Men’s 200 m Individual Medley SM7 and Men’s 400 m Freestyle S7
2. Angel Otom – Women’s 50 m Butterfly and Backstroke S5
3. Gary Bejino – Men’s S6 50m Butterfly, and the 50m and 100m Freestyle
4. Marco Tinamisan – Men’s 50 m, 100m, and 200m Freestyle S3
5. Ariel Joseph Alegarbes – Men’s 100m Backstroke and 100m Butterfly S14

Two-time Asian Para Games champion Gawilan, Otom, and Tinamisan secured direct qualification after meeting the minimum qualifying standards at the World Para Swimming Series in Japan last April 2025.

Bejino and Alegarbes earned their slots through invitations from World Para Swimming, following their strong performances in the same event. 

Watch the interview with Coach Tony Ong on Radyo Pilipinas. https://www.facebook.com/share/162y1zL1aP/ .

For tickets, visit:  https://www.sportshub.com.sg/events/toyota-singapore-2025-world-para-swimming-championships/ END