The Philippine national team played their first ever lacrosse game against Costa Rica at the Estadio Municipal El Labrador in Vázquez de Coronado in December 2012. The Philippines won that game, with Ron Garcia becoming the first player to score an international goal for the country.[1][2]
The Philippines made their first appearance at the World Lacrosse Championship during the 2014 edition, although they only participated in the festival tournament and not the main competition.[5] The national team competed in the Elite Division of the World Lacrosse Festivals against teams including Ireland, Japan, Thailand, and the United States. They finished seventh out of 16 teams with a 2–2 record.[6]
The Philippines went on to participate in other international invitational tournaments such as the 2014 International Lacrosse Festival of the Israel Lacrosse Association,[7] the 2016 Philadelphia International Showdown,[8] and the 2017 Memorial Day Weekend International Lacrosse Festival.[9]
As of 2018, the Philippines had not yet been admitted to the Asia-Pacific Lacrosse Union (APLU), which rendered them ineligible for the 2015 and 2017 ASPAC games.[10]
In July 2017, Carthage Senior High School coach Kirk Ventiquattro was appointed as head coach for the 2018 World Lacrosse Championship.[11] Ventiquattro retained his coaching responsibilities at Carthage while taking on the national team role.[12] The Philippines competed in the Grey Division alongside the Czech Republic and Belgium, finishing at the top of the group. They placed 10th overall in the tournament, losing only to host Israel and Germany in the later rounds.[13]
In February 2022, the Philippines became a full member of the APLU.[14]
The Philippines qualified for the 2023 World Lacrosse Championship under the guidance of returning head coach Kirk Ventiquattro.[15][16][17][18] The team initially finished in 15th place but was later demoted to 30th (last place) due to non-compliance with eligibility requirements.[19]