The road to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics just got a major boost for Filipino athletes as the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) officially inked a four-year partnership with Smart Communications, Inc. and SportsPlus to provide full-scale support for national athletes.
The contract signing, held on September 17, 2025, at Gameville Ball Park, was attended by POC President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, PLDT/Smart First Vice President and Head of Sports Jude H. Turcuato, and SportsPlus Head of Partnerships James da Costa, along with officials from Karate Pilipinas and the Jiu-Jitsu Federation of the Philippines.
The tie-up—running until 2029—makes SportsPlus the Official Gaming Partner and Smart the Official Connectivity Partner of the POC, ensuring training resources, international camps, and connectivity tools that will keep athletes prepared, supported, and connected on the global stage.
“This collaboration with Smart and SportsPlus is a big boost for our athletes. The most important thing is preparation in all our undertakings, and these partnerships provide exactly that,” said Tolentino.
“With partners who are truly passionate about Philippine sports, we may not just bring home two medals like we did in the Paris Olympics — we can achieve even more,” he added, referring to Caloy Yulo’s historic double-gold in Paris 2024.
The POC is eyeing sustained success leading into the SEA Games in Bangkok this December, the Asian Games in Nagoya next year, and the crucial qualifiers heading to the LA Olympics in 2028.
“Through this partnership with SportsPlus and the Philippine Olympic Committee, Smart will ensure that our athletes are connected, whether it’s by providing world-class connectivity for training, live streaming sports content, or keeping our national athletes in touch with their families and supporters, especially when they compete abroad,” said Turcuato.
“Smart will continue to empower our athletes in every step of the way. With support, the best is yet to come for Philippine sports,” he added.
For SportsPlus, the partnership represents a pledge to back Filipino athletes from grassroots to the world stage.
“SportsPlus is more than a partner — we are a dedicated supporter of the exceptional talent and spirit of the Filipino athlete,” said da Costa. “From grassroots development to the professional ranks and onto the world stage, SportsPlus is committed to standing with athletes every step of the way. This partnership is our pledge to provide the support, visibility, and resources they need to excel and bring pride to the nation.”
As part of its commitment, SportsPlus also recognized Filipino medalists from the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, China — Aislinn Yap, Carlos Baylon Jr., Kaila Napolis, and Chezka Centeno — by awarding them brand-new iPhone 17 units as both reward and encouragement to continue representing the country.
With Philippine sports riding high on recent international triumphs and strengthened by this landmark partnership, hopes are bright for a stronger and more prepared national contingent come the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
