IN a welcome development for the Philippines, wushu, jiu-jitsu and karate have been reinstated as part of the calendar of the 33rd Thailand Southeast Asian Games in December next year, the Singapore Straits Times reported.

“The Singapore National Olympic Committee confirmed that the SEA Games Federation has approved the inclusion of tenpin bowling, wushu, sport climbing, ju-jitsu and cricket for the upcoming Games,” it reported.

“Karate will also be reinstated to the regional event,” the report said.

“The final program will be officially confirmed after the SEAGF council’s endorsement at their upcoming meeting in late October,” the article, quoting an SNOC spokesman, added.

However, weightlifting, which delivered one gold, two silvers and one bronze for the country in the Cambodia SEA Games, remained in limbo.

Karate delivered two golds courtesy of Sakura Alforte and Jamie Lim, jiu-jitsu had a golden pair from Marc Alexander Lim and Kaila Napolis in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh and Agatha Won had one in wushu.

The absence of these disciplines would have severely affected the country’s gold prospects in the Thailand SEA Games and could drag it down further in the medal tally after finishing fifth overall in Cambodia a year ago with a haul of 58 gold, 85 silver and 117 bronze medals.