THE House of Representatives has adopted a series of resolutions commending Filipino athletes who have recently delivered landmark victories in the international sports arena, led by tennis sensation Alexandra “Alex” Eala, the Philippine Men’s Curling Team, and 1-Pacman Party-list Rep. Mikee Romero for his team’s historic win in an elite polo tournament in the United States.
Eala, just 19 years old, made history by becoming the first Filipina to break into the Top 100 of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings after an impressive run in the 2025 Miami Open.
A wild card entry ranked No. 140, she stunned the world by defeating three Grand Slam champions – world No. 25 Jelena Ostapenko, world No. 5 Madison Keys and world No. 2 Iga Swiatek – before falling to world No. 4 Jessica Pegula.
At the conclusion of the tournament, Eala climbed to World No. 72, making her the highest-ranked Filipina tennis player in WTA history and the second highest-ranked teenager in the current standings.
Prior to this, she had already made her mark by winning the 2022 US Open Girls’ Singles title, which is another historic first for the Philippines.
“For her impressive performance in the 2025 Miami Open and numerous achievements in tennis, 19-year-old Alexandra Maniego Eala deserves the highest commendation, as her unwavering dedication, exceptional talent and relentless perseverance serve as an inspiring testament to the power of hard work and the right opportunities,” stated Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez and the other authors of House Resolution (HR) No. 2287.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Men’s Curling Team brought home the country’s first gold medal in the 9th Asian Winter Games held in Harbin, China last February.
The historic win also marked the highest achievement by any Southeast Asian country in the sport’s history and earned the team a slot in the 2026 Winter Olympics pre-qualifiers.
Composed of Marc Angelo Otida Pfister, Enrico Gabriel Otida Pfister, Alan Beat Frei, Christian Patrick Haller, Benjo Delarmente, Miguel Gutierrez and Coach Jessica Sarah Pfister, the team’s story was made even more remarkable by the diverse backgrounds of its members, who include a construction worker, an electrician, a businessman and a banker.
“The excellent performance of the Philippine Men’s Curling Team during the 9th Asian Winter Games deserves utmost distinction and commendation for bringing honor and glory to the Philippines,” the HR No. 2285 declared.
Both resolutions were principally authored by Speaker Romualdez, Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. of Pampanga, House Majority Leader Manuel Jose “Mannix” M. Dalipe of Zamboanga City, Senior Deputy Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander A. Marcos of Ilocos Norte, House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan, and Tingog Party-list Reps. Yedda K. Romualdez and Jude Acidre.
Deputy Speaker David Suarez of Quezon co-authored the resolution commending Eala.
Also commended by the chamber through HR No. 2283 was Romero who led Globalport to a 15-10 victory over defending champion Park Place in the CV Whitney Cup held in Wellington, Florida, marking the first time an Asia-based team competed and won in the event.
“It was a historic win for Globalport… and a greater victory for Honorable Romero as the first Filipino player to score a goal in the opening leg of three prestigious events making up the Gauntlet of Polo,” the resolution read.
Romero, who is serving his final term in Congress, was also recognized for his longstanding support and involvement in various sports, including basketball, volleyball and baseball, and for his leadership role in the development of polo in the Philippines.
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