VIENTIANE, Laos — Former World Cup champions Efren “Bata” Reyes and Django Bustamante will launch the Philippines’ campaign in billiards Thursday when they compete in the 9-ball pool doubles event of the 25th Southeast Asian Games at the Don Chan Hotel here.

Reyes last won in the Southeast Asian Games in 1987 when he took the snooker gold medal while Bustamante will be making his debut in the biennial event.

Reyes and Bustamante gun for the semifinals against Nitiwat Kanjanasri and Surathep Phoochalam of Thailand at 10 a.m in one of four matches in the opening rounds.

An expected win over the Thai entries will push the fancied RP tandem against the winner of the match pitting Prince Muhtadee Billah and Teo Chee Soon of Brunei against Do Hoang Quan and Luong Chi Dung of Vietnam at 4 p.m.

Aside from the 9-ball doubles, action also gets under way in English Billiards doubles.

Reynaldo Grandea and Warren Kiamco take on Praprut Chaithanasakun and Thawat Sujaritturakarn of Thailand at 10 a.m.

The Philippines is eyeing to surpass its two-gold medal tally in 2007 in Thailand.

Billiards, which stakes 10 gold medals including two in the women’s divisions, runs up to December 17.

Ronnie Alcano, the only defending champion in the team, begins his bid on Saturday against the winner between Malaysian Ibrahim Amir and Indonesian Wieto Siauw in the 8-ball singles.

The centerpiece 9-ball men’s singles kick off December 10 with Ramil Gallego and Dennis Orcullo taking on separate opponents