MANILA, Philippines – Boxing, the country’s top performing sport in the Olympics and Asian Games, needs a shot in the arm to keep alive the country’s Olympic dream of a gold medal.

The Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines has launched Suntok Ginto, a bayanihan effort which aims to raise funds to help elite Filipino boxers pursue the country’s golden dream in the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

The boxing association has accounted for the most number of medals in the post-war Olympics, with Anthony Villanueva winning a silver medal in the 1964 Olympics and Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco the other silver 32 years later in Atlanta. In between, Leopoldo Serrantes (1988 Seoul Olympics) and Roel Velasco (1992 Barcelona Olympics) accounted for the country’s two bronze medals.

In the Asian Games, the Philippines won an unprecedented four gold medals in 1994 and has been a consistent medal winner in both the Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games.

The ABAP has continued to be a result-oriented organization since the time of former Sen. Roilo Golez to Mayor Mel Lopez and later his son Manny. It has a new management team in top corporate executives Manny Pangilinan, Ricky Vargas and Pato Gregorio, and with Ed Picson as its executive director, ABAP continues to be run like a well-oiled machine with little support from the Philippine Sports Commission.

“Our fans are tired of silver and bronze, we want gold this time,” said coach Nolito Velasco.

From its nationwide search program, ABAP identified a few boxers that can be developed into Olympic champions.

Asian Games gold medalist Rey Saludar and his brother Victorio, the bronze medal winner, are at the forefront of boxing’s quest for gold in London. The others in the fold are Gerson Nietes, Charly Suarez, James Boy Vicera, Joegin Ladon, Delfin Boholst and Wilfredo Lopez.

With women’s boxing making its Olympic debut in 2010, ABAP also has a potentially formidable team with Guangzhou Asian Games silver medalist Annie Albania, Southeast Asian Games winners Josie Gabuco and Alice Kate Appari and new finds Annaliza Cruz and Nesthy Petecio.

SM and Banco de Oro have already thrown their full support to the team. Suntok Ginto donation boxers can now be found in SM branches nationwide. Others donations may be coursed through any BDO branches.

SGV & Co. will be the external auditor of ABAP.