John Dexter Tabique, two other PH w’lifters vie in Singapore

John Dexter Tabique | Facebook photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebuano weightlifter John Dexter Tabique leads a three-man Philippine squad in the Singapore Weightlifting Festival 2025, which takes place this Sunday, June 15.

Tabique, a bronze medalist in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games and a varsity standout from the University of Cebu (UC), will compete in the men’s 98-kilogram division. He is accompanied by his coach, Olympian Ramon Solis.

Joining him in Singapore are Boholano lifter Dave Pacaldo and Zamboanga’s Elaika Lozada. Pacaldo, a three-time gold medalist in the Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) National Games, is currently competing in the men’s 65kg category. Lozada will take the platform on Sunday in the women’s 77kg division.

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Coach Solis shared that Tabique opted to skip the ongoing Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas (SWP) National Championships in Dumaguete City to focus on international exposure. Tabique previously won gold during the national championships held in Cebu last year.

Last April, Tabique was among the Cebuano athletes honored during the 39th Sportswriters Association of Cebu–San Miguel Brewery (SAC–SMB) Cebu Sports Awards. He was recognized alongside fellow lifter and two-time Olympian Elreen Ando.

John Dexter Tabique’s category features top competitors from the region, including Vietnam’s Toan Nguyen Quoc, Dung Tran Xuan, and Tran Dinh Thang; Singapore’s Lim Kang Yin and Oon Yuen Tzem; Brunei’s Felipe Balik Muhd; Malaysia’s Prasit Jomdhetphichaya and Muhammad Faris Haikal Kamarul; Thailand’s Rungsuriya Yothaphon; and Indonesia’s Carel Julius Hildebrand.