Ricky Vargas is chef de mission to LA 2028 Olympics

Metro Manila, Philippines — Ricky Vargas was named a chef de mission to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, while Al Panlilio will handle the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games as the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) made key appointments during its first general assembly for the year on Wednesday, Jan. 15, in Parañaque City.

Also appointed were Leyte 4th District Rep. Richard Gomez for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Dr. Jose Raul Canlas for the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand, and Stephen Arapoc for the Chengdu 2025 World Games.

“The objective is to prepare our teams - and athletes - in earnest for the international competitions, that’s why the chefs de mission were appointed,” POC president Bambol Tolentino said. “If we prepare early, there will be no excuses.”

Meanwhile, Richard Lim of karate is the chef de mission to the Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China which will run from Feb. 7 to 14, while a chef de mission has yet to be named for the Third Asian Youth Olympics Games in October in Bahrain.

Vargas is a former POC president and current chairman of the boxing federation, Panlilio (basketball) and Gomez (modern pentathlon) are the first and second vice presidents, respectively, and Canlas (surfing) is treasurer of the organization, while Arapoc heads the muay thai association.

The SEA Games will happen on Dec. 9 to 20 in Chonburi, Songkhla and Bangkok in Thailand, and the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics are on Feb. 6-22. The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games is on Sept. 19-Oct. 4.

The Los Angeles Olympics are on July 14-30, 2028.

Former football president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta was appointed as ethics committee chairman, while Daniel Hofileña, a non-POC member, will head the arbitration committee.