MANILA – The Philippine team reaped a total of 74 medals including 24 golds at the recently-concluded Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Para Games held in Malaysia.

The ASEAN Para Games is called the “parallel sports event for the disabled” held after every Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. The event was held in Kuala Lumpur from August 15 to August 19.

The differently-abled Filipino athletes brought home the most gold medals in chess (7), swimming (7) and athletics (8).

Abraham Peligro, Sander Severino and Melchor Ireneo Pizarro, Jr., each won a gold medal in chess. The Philippine woodpushers also won gold medals in four men’s team events.

Tanker Ernie Gawilan won three gold medals in the men’s 400m freestyle, 100m freestyle and 200m freestyle. Bea Reza Ma. Josephine Roble and Arnel Aba, meantime, won two gold medals each.

Roble ruled the women’s 100m freestyle and 50m freestyle while Aba triumphed in the men’s 200m freestyle and 100m backstroke.

In athletics, Jerrold Pete Mangliwan won two gold medals in the men's 100m T52 and men's 400m T52. Marites Burce also won two gold medals in the women's shot put F54 and women's discus throw F54.

Four more medals were contributed by Prudencia Panaligan (women's 100m T53), Juanito Mingarine (men’s shot put F54), Joel Balatucan (men's shot put F55), and Anne Grace Abeto (women's 200m T11).

Adeline Ancheta won a lone gold medal in powerlifting after dominating the female's 82.50+ kg - round 1 - group A.

Shuttler Josephine Medina bagged a gold medal in the badminton women’s single standing class 7-8 after she beat Vietnam’s Nguyen Bich Van, 11-7, 11-2, 11-5.

The Philippine delegation also brought home 24 silver medals and 26 bronze medals.

Thailand led the 5th ASEAN Para Games Overall Medal Tally with 157 gold medals, 75 silver medals and 57 bronze medals.

Host Malaysia finished second with 94 gold medals, 81 silver medals and     71 bronze medals, while Vietnam won 73 gold medals, 57 silver medals and 45 bronze medals. No. 4 Indonesia took home 29 gold medals, 25 silver medals and 19 bronze medals.

Other participating countries are Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos.