• two silver medals (both in boxing), and
• nine bronze medals (five in boxing, two in athletics and two in swimming).
   

On Tuesday, one of the country's athletes — Filipino weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz — was eliminated from the weightlifting event. Malacañang expressed its dismay over the Philippines' loss.

Diaz, who first competed in the Beijing Olympics in 2008, initially lifted 97-kg in the snatch category in the weightlifting competition. However, she failed to lift the 118-kg weight in the clean and jerk category after three attempts.

However, Malacañang is still pinning its hopes that Filipino light-flyweight boxer Mark Anthony Barriga will do better and qualify for the next round in the boxing event, Deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said on Tuesday.

Barriga is competing against Italian boxer Manuel Cappai in the first round.
 
“Parang there’s a collective groan from the country noong natanggal po iyung weightlifter natin. Sayang! Kahapon po iyon. Sayang po, but there will be other opportunities. We wish him (Barriga) luck mamaya pong hapon sa kanyang pagsabak,” she said.
 
Valte said the country had limited resources and the government opted to devote its funds to only a few sporting events.
 
“Ang sinasabi po ng Pangulo is, given na limited po iyung resources natin, kailangan po nating i-identify iyung mga paligsahan kung saan po tayo malakas—doon ho sa mga sport na meron po tayong pagkakataon at kailangan hong linangin iyung ating mga atleta. By doing that, we will get to allocate the limited resources to support our athletes in those areas where we can excel,” Valte said.

Not expecting Barriga to bring home a medal

 

Meanwhile, Ryan Songalia, A Filipino-American boxing writer and analyst, said he does not expect Mark Barriga  to bring home a medal.

In an interview with “News To Go” host Howie Severino on Tuesday, Songalia said, “Sana manalo si Barriga but realistically he’s a 19-year-old who’s going to be fighting grown men.” 

 

Barriga, from Davao del Norte, fought last year in the World Championships.

 

“I don’t think it’s realistic to expect him to win a medal but he’s a strong medal contender in the 2016 Olympics,” said Songalia.

 

“Right now the Philippine amateur boxing system is not good enough to send even just two representatives so we need improvement,” he added.

 

When asked about the difference between Olympic and professional boxing, Songalia said, “They’re two very different sports.” 
 

He said most professional boxers now will have a hard time against amateurs in an Olympic match with three-round bouts.

 

“It doesn’t matter how effective the punch is, it's just about scoring points on the white part of the glove,” Songalia explained.

 

He added that even Philippine boxing icon and Saranggani Rep. Manny Pacquiao could be beaten by amateurs.

Eleven athletes

 

The Philippines' 11 athletes in the 2012 London Olympics include four who made it to the games because every country is required to send athletes in swimming and athletics: