Philippines at the 1956 Summer Olympics

The Philippines competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. 39 competitors, 35 men and 4 women, took part in 30 events in 7 sports.

A resolution was filed at the Philippine Congress which sought a Philippine boycott of the 1956 Summer Olympics as a protest against the White Australia policy which targeted immigrants with an Asian background. The country nevertheless participated at the Games.

The Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation (PAAF) named the 39 athletes and four coaches in a special luncheon meeting at the Philippine Columbian Clubhouse. Antonio de las Alas, PAAF President, headed the Philippine delegation to Melbourne.

Philippine Olympic team lineups

 * Basketball:
 * Carlos Badion
 * Rafael Barretto
 * Ramoncito Campos
 * Loreto Carbonell
 * Antonio Genato (c)
 * Eduardo "Eddie" Lim
 * Carlos "Caloy" Loyzaga
 * Ramón Manulat
 * Leonardo Marquicias
 * Mariano Tolentino
 * Martin Urra
 * Antonio Villamor
 * Coach: Leo Prieto
 * Track and Field:
 * Pablo Somblingo (400-meter hurdles)
 * Ciriaco Baronda (high jump)
 * Manolita Cinco and Francisca Sanopal (80-meter hurdles)
 * Coach: Jose Ravello
 * Swimming:
 * Bana Sailani (400-meter freestyle and 1,500-meter freestyle)
 * Parsons Nabiula (200-meter breastroke and 200-meter butterfly)
 * Agapito Lozada (200-meter butterfly)
 * Pedro Cayco (100-meter backstroke)
 * Dakula Arabani (200-meter freestyle)
 * Gertrudez Lozada (100-meter freestyle and 400-meter freestyle)
 * Jocelyn Von Giese (100-meter backstroke)
 * Coach: Edilberto Bonus
 * Boxing:
 * Federico Bonus (Flyweight)
 * Alberto Adela (Bantamweight)
 * Paulino Melendrez (Featherweight)
 * Celedonio Espinosa (Lightweight)
 * Manuel delos Santos (Middleweight)
 * Coach: Celestino Enriquez
 * Wrestling:
 * Nicolas Arcales (Middleweight, acting coach)
 * Mateo Tanaquin (Lightweight)
 * Ernesto Ramel (Bantamweight)
 * Weightlifting:
 * Pedro Landero (Bantamweight)
 * Rodrigo del Rosario (Featherweight)
 * Shooting:
 * Teodoro Kalaw, Jr (Team Captain)
 * Cesar Jayme
 * Martin Gison
 * Ricardo Hizon
 * Hernando Castelo
 * Enrique Beech

Basketball

 * Preliminary Round (Group A)
 * Defeated Thailand (55-44)
 * Defeated Japan (76-61)
 * Lost to United States (53-121)


 * Quarterfinals (Group A)
 * Lost to Uruguay (70-79)
 * Defeated France (65-58)
 * Lost to Chile (69-88)


 * Classification 5-8
 * Lost to Bulgaria (70-80)


 * Classification 7/8
 * Defeated Chile (75-58) → did not advance, 7th place

Shooting
Five sport shooters, all male, represented the Philippines in 1956.


 * 25 m pistol
 * Martin Gison


 * 50 m pistol
 * Ricardo Hizon


 * 300 m rifle, three positions
 * Martin Gison


 * 50 m rifle, prone
 * Hernando Castelo
 * César Jayme


 * Trap
 * Enrique Beech