The Philippine Men’s Curling Team is worthy of commendation from the Senate after earning the country’s first ever gold medal in the recently concluded Asian Winter Games, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada said.
In filing Senate Resolution No. 1314, Estrada said their remarkable victory in the ninth edition of the winter games held in Harbin, China from February 7-14, 2025 “brings immense joy, pride and honor to the entire nation and deserves warmest commendation from the Philippine Senate.”
“While the country stands at a clear disadvantage being a tropical country compared to their regional counterparts, the Men’s Curling Team proved that the characteristic Filipino talent, teamwork, passion and unyielding spirit will shine no matter what,” Estrada pointed out.
The five-man team, composed of Marc Angelo Pfister, Enrico Gabriel Pfister, Alan Beat Frei, Christian Patrick Haller, and Benjo Delarmente, made history for winning the country’s first ever gold medal in the Asian Winter Games and the country’s first medal in the Games since its debut 35 years ago in 1990.
The Filipino team’s victory also marked the highest achievement for any Southeast Asian country and the Philippines’ best and most successful appearance in the history of the international multi-sport competition featuring winter events.
The quintet outranked the previously undefeated South Korean team with a score of 5-3 in the gold medal match held at the Harbin Pingfang District Curling Arena last February 14.
With their gold medal tally, the Philippine team advanced in the 2025 Asian Winter Games ranking in fifth place and was tied with Uzbekistan as of February 14, following China, South Korea, Japan, and Kazakhstan.
“This historic achievement highlights the world-class caliber and commitment of the Filipino athletes and demonstrates their capacity to excel in whatever discipline,” said Estrada.