The Philippine men's ice hockey team has been promoted to a higher division after a successful campaign in the 2023 IIHF World Championship Division IV, held from March 23-26 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
The Filipinos, who were participating in the tournament for the first time, swept the four-nation tilt with three wins, including one in overtime.
They opened their campaign with a 14-0 demolition of Indonesia, before outlasting host Mongolia, 7-6, in overtime. EJ Sibug scored the game-winning goal for the Philippines.
They capped their campaign by shutting out Kuwait, 14-0, on Sunday night. All matches were held at the Steppe Arena.
The Philippines scored 35 goals and gave up five for a +29 goal-differential. Five Filipinos topped the scoring list, led by Manvil Billones who had five goals and seven assists.
By virtue of their triumph, the Philippines is now in Division III B of the IIHF.
Their feat was hailed by the Philippine Sports Commission and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday.
"Our warmest congratulations go out to the Philippine Men's Ice Hockey Team and Hockey Philippines for their outstanding performance in the International Ice Hockey Federation Divisional World Championship," Marcos said in a tweet.
"This triumph is a testament to their skill and perseverance, and we are honored to celebrate their success," he said.