The Philippines hosted the 23rd Southeast Asian Games in 2005, marking the third time the biennial event was held in the country.

Filipino athletes achieved significant success, initially securing 113 gold medals, leading to their position as overall champions in the medal tally, surpassing Thailand by 26 golds.

The team's chief of mission for the games was Jose Miguel Arroyo.

During the opening ceremony, the Philippine delegation included notable figures such as Miss International 2005 Precious Lara Quigaman, WBC Lightweight Champion Manny Pacquiao, and actress Angel Locsin.

Innovations in terms of the acquisition of new facilities and proper budget allocation were the main concerns of the Philippine Sports Commission in cooperation with the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).