THE Philippines ranked sixth overall at the just-concluded 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand, where the biennial showpiece ran from Dec. 9 to 20. The closing ceremony was being held at press time Saturday evening. Down a notch from its previous meet finish in Cambodia, the Filipinos racked up 50 golds, 73 silvers, and 153 bronzes for a total of 276 medals in the 10-country competition. Cambodia withdrew its participation at the last minute due to its border conflict with Thailand. The Philippines fell just two golds short of claiming the fifth spot, which last meet’s sixth placer Singapore took with 52 golds, 61 silvers, and 87 bronzes. Despite a 9-gold surge in the penultimate day of competition on Friday, the Filipinos could not match their 58-gold haul, laced with 86 silvers and 116 bronzes in the Cambodia meet. Host Thailand dominated for the overall championship with a whopping 232 golds on top of 154 silvers and 108 bronzes, grabbing a total of 494 medals. Indonesia finished a far second with 91 golds, 111 silvers, and 130 bronzes for a 332 total. Vietnam ranked third with a 276 haul on an 87-79-110 gold-silver-bronze haul, as Malaysia placed fourth with a 230 total on a 56-57-117 gold-silver-bronze tally. Despite not matching or exceeding its last meet’s performance, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Patrick Gregorio said he is satisfied with the Philippines’ finish this time. “We won in competitions that mattered most, and in the games that mattered most to them,” said Gregorio. “We beat them in their game; we weren’t surprised, but that only proves we could excel in Olympic competitions.” Gregorio was talking about the Gilas Pilipinas double gold in men’s and women’s 5-on-5 basketball for the games that mattered most to Filipinos, and to women’s football as the games that mattered to Thailand and other countries like Vietnam, which the Filipinas beat in the final. The Philippines thus seized its first-ever football gold at the SEA Games. Gregorio said the Philippines could build on the 153 bronzes it harvested. “Our 153 bronzes, that’s our grassroots, and they could only get better because we gave them an opportunity.” Athletics led the charge for the Philippines with five golds, while shooting surprisingly gave the country a boost with four. Swimming led by the most bemedalled Kayla Sanchez, triathlon, and modern pentathlon added three golds apiece as the aforementioned sports combined for 18 golds to anchor the Philippine attack. Flexing their might in women’s softball were the Blu Girls, who ruled the tournament for the 11th consecutive time. It’s a Philippine sweep in softball as the Blu Boys reclaimed the title in their division. Meanwhile, the Philippine men’s baseball team also stretched its reign after topping Thailand and claiming its third straight championship.