Rosie Villarito runs around with the Philippine flag after topping the women’s javelin throw at the Southeast Asian Games last Sunday in Laos. (Photo by ALBERT GARCIA)

VIENTIANE, Laos — Halfway through the 25th Southeast Asian Games, the Philippines has cornered 12 of the 149 gold medals disputed through Sunday and appeared headed for a modest haul of 30 golds based on available projection.

The Filipinos still hope to collect gold in athletics, swimming, and boxing, but matching the 41 golds they garnered in 2007 is virtually impossible.

At most, the Filipinos will bag six more golds in athletics, probably two in swimming, three in billiards and a gold or two in archery, golf, muay, tennis, and wushu.

Four events have concluded their events with the Filipinos winning five of 62 golds at stake, four of which came in taekwondo.

Karate delivered one gold while weightlifting laid a big fat egg. The Filipinos had no entries in the 11-event petanque.

The Filipinos are hoping for victories in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, men’s and women’s long jump, men’s and women’s marathon and the men’s 400 meters in athletics.

In swimming, the Filipinos are counting on the men’s 200-meter butterfly and the 4x100-meter medley relay.

There is sure gold in billiards after Ronnie Alcano and Gandy Valle arranged an all-Filipino final in the 8-ball pool singles event. The other golds could come in the women’s 9-ball and 8-ball pool singles and the men’s 9-ball pool singles.

A sprinkling of surprises could come in other sports but generally, going beyond the 30-gold medal would already be a bonus.

The number of gold medals won can provide an idea how the Philippines stands in the region, but it can never be a true measure of strength.

For one, eight of the 25 sports calendared in the Games are non-Olympic sports.

Three of those are unknown to most Filipinos – finswimming, petanque and shuttlecock.

These events alone offer a combined 34 gold medals.

A dispute in cycling cost the Philippines eight golds in cycling.

Lack of entries denied the Filipinos half the 79 golds at stake in athletics and shooting.

The host country can maximize its chances by limiting the number of sports where it believes it can contend.