The Philippines names Aira Villegas and Albert Ian Delos Santos as its flag bearers for the opening ceremony of the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The announcement is made during Team Philippines’ official send-off, held at Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila, ahead of the Games.
Both outlets report that Villegas, a boxer and Olympic medalist, and Delos Santos, a weightlifter described as a rising talent with notable junior achievements, will lead the national contingent. Inquirer.net adds that Alex Eala, the 2025 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist who previously served as a flag bearer, is also considered for the role again but is unavailable due to participation in the Singapore Open, which takes place before the Asian Games in Japan.
Across the reports, there is agreement on the two selected flag bearers and the fact that the decision is linked to availability ahead of the Games’ opening ceremony, with no dispute about the final choices.
