The Philippine disapora sends two skiers to the Winter Games

Tallulah Prouix and Francis Ceccarell represents the Philippines in the 2026 Games.

The closest thing to snow in the Philippines is the shaved ice in halo halo, a wonderful dessert full of fruit, sweet legumes, flan and Ube ice cream. That’s why some people are surprised to see the tropical country field a team for the Winter Olympics.

When the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics kicked off Feb. 6, the Philippine flag was flying flying high on the slopes—thanks in large part to the global Filipino diaspora.

While the Philippines might not have snow, it certainly has a deep well of talent and pride living abroad. This year, two alpine skiers raised far from the islands—are proving that "Laban Pilipinas" knows no borders.

Meet the Historic Duo:

At just 17, Tallulah Proulx is already a history-maker. The Uhah-based skier is the first-ever Filipina and the youngest athlete to represent the nation at the Winter Games. Inspired by her late grandmother and her mother’s heritage, Proulx hopes to be a role model for young girls everywhere, showing them they belong in winter sports.

Francis Ceccarelli, 22, was born in Quezon City but raised in the mountains of Tuscany, Italy, by his adoptive parents. A seasoned skier who began competing for the Philippines in 2023, Ceccarelli is fulfilling a lifelong goal to honor his birth nation on what is essentially his home snow in Italy.

“Since I started skiing, my Filipino identity has always been with me,” Ceccarelli told Olympics.com.

“It represents where I was born and where I'm from. It was a goal for me to ski for the Philippines, because it is not every day that we have a Filipino athlete skiing at international level.”

The two skiers wil be competing against elite skiiers from countries where skiiking with more training facilities and, well, more snow. For the Philippines' athletes, its the journey that matters. 

"I hope that me being at the Olympics and representing the Philippines opens up a whole new exposure to sports and what it can become," Proulx told CNN about Filipino representation in the Winter Olympics.

Ceccarelli and Proulx will compete in the giant slalom and slalom events beginning February 14,

A growing trend of diaspora support

The presence of these athletes isn't an accident. This marks the Philippines' seventh appearance at the Winter Olympics, continuing a tradition that began in 1972. 

The Philippine Ski and Snowboard Federation has been active in identifying and recruiting "kababayans" living in colder environments to represent the motherland. This strategy allows the Philippines to field a competitive team in sports that are geographically impossible at home.

The Filipino curling team celebrate the Philippiines first gold medal in the Asian Winter Games.

Beyond the alpine slopes, the diaspora’s influence has extended into other winter sports, with curling teams primarily composed of Filipino Swiss members also vying for their place on the world stage in recent years. The team barely missed qualifying for the Olympics after winning the gold medal in the Asian Winter Games. 

The Philippines' curling team, predominantly based in Switzerland, consists of skip Marc Pfister, Enrico Pfister, Christian Haller, Brayden Carpenter and Alan Frei.

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Whether they grew up in the Rockies or the Apennines, these athletes are showing the world that you don't need a cold climate to have a warm heart for your heritage.

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