PH set to host East Asia Cup this December

THE Philippines will host the East Asia Cup on Dec. 7-13, 2026, at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium (RMBS) in Malate, Manila.

Six nations, including host Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong and Thailand, will converge in the capital, turning the historic venue into a hub of competition and sports tourism.

For the first time since its opening in 1934, the RMBS has undergone a major facelift, a transformation that promises to restore its past grandeur and elevate Philippine baseball to global standards.

“Our objective is to finish the facelift as soon as possible and bring the stadium to global standards,” Philippine Sports Commission Chairman John Patrick Gregorio said in a news release.

He said the grandstand will be retrofitted to seat 10,000, complemented by a digital scoreboard mounted on the historic outfield wall and an all-weather artificial turf built to international specifications.

The tournament is organized by the Philippine Amateur Baseball Association (Paba) and sanctioned by the Baseball Federation of Asia.

The RMBS is a shrine to baseball’s global heritage. In its inaugural exhibition game in December 1934, Lou Gehrig hit the stadium’s first-ever home run, followed by Babe Ruth’s second. Their feats remain etched on the stadium’s walls, reminders of Manila’s place in baseball lore.

Hataw Pilipinas, the official moniker of the 24-man Philippine national team that captured the Southeast Asian Games gold medal against host Thailand, enters the East Asia Cup with confidence.

Team captain and pitcher Romeo Jasmin, who will soon pass the baton to the next generation of Filipino baseball players, leads the charge, determined to prove that Philippine baseball is ready to step up its game.

Veterans such as Ferdinand “Bong” Liguayan Jr., catcher Mark Steven Manaig, leadoff hitter Jenald Pareja and rising star Mark Beronilla likewise anchor the squad.

Guiding them are head coach Lando Binarao, batting coach Ricardo “Iking” Jimenez, whose name is etched on the stadium wall, and former pitcher Joseph Orillana. / PNA