How Nesthy Petecio fights for her family, country, and every Filipina dreamer

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Nesthy Petecio didn’t enter the boxing ring to chase fame. She didn’t grow up dreaming of medals or imagining the applause of packed arenas. She fought because her family needed her to. She stayed because she found purpose in the fight.

“I didn’t get into boxing just for myself,” she said, eyes steady with sincerity. “I did it because I knew it could help my family.”

At just nine years old, Nesthy began training for self-defense. By 11, she was already competing—her first boxing match took place at the Araw ng Davao in Rizal Park, against boys, because there weren’t enough female boxers. That never discouraged her. What many would have seen as a barrier, she saw as fuel. Even when she faced discrimination, she kept going.

“Lagi pong sinasabi na, ‘Ang boxing ay para lang sa mga lalaki.’ Narinig ko ’yun mismo sa papa ko (People always said, ‘Boxing is only for men.’ I heard that from my own father),” Nesthy admitted. “Pero sa akin, gusto ko eh. Kaya tinuloy ko. Gusto ko siyang matutunan, gusto ko siyang gawin (But I liked it. So I continued. I wanted to learn it. I wanted to do it).”

She vividly remembers being inspired by the 2005 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, where the Philippines served as host, hearing the national anthem play as an athlete stood in the middle of the ring. “Nangingilabot ako. Sabi ko sa sarili ko, gusto ko rin ’yan. Gusto kong maramdaman ’yung moment na ’yon (I had goosebumps. I told myself, I want that too. I want to experience that moment),” she recalled.

Her path, however, was far from easy.

At 15, she moved to Manila with no allowance and nothing but her dream—and her coach, Roel Velasco, who believed in her. Her sisters sent whatever they could—₱200 here, ₱300 there. When she wanted to return home, her mother reminded her, “Anong gagawin mo pag bumalik ka dito? Wala din akong maibibigay sa’yo (What will you do if you come back here? I have nothing to give you).” Those words anchored her to her purpose.

Her boxing career became more than a sport. It became survival. She used her first prize money to buy rice and basic needs for her mother. “Doon ko na-realize, pwede pala ito. Hindi lang para sa sarili. Pwede pala makatulong sa pamilya (That’s when I realized it, this could work. Not just for myself, but for my family too),” she said.

In 2010, her sacrifices brought her to her first international competition, which in turn gave her another set of firsts. Boxing gave her her first passport, her first airplane ride, and her first trip abroad—to Guam—for a dual match representing the Philippines.

“Sobrang excited po ako (I was so excited),” Nesthy said. “First time lahat. Passport, eroplano, ibang bansa. Para sa boxing (It was my first time for everything—passport, airplane, another country. All because of boxing).”

But just as boxing gave her purpose, it also brought pain. In 2018, she suffered a heartbreaking loss at the Asian Games held in Jakarta, Indonesia—a match she believed she had clearly won. That fight would have brought a ₱10 million prize, and she had already imagined paying off debts, buying a home, and securing a better life for her family. But she came home empty-handed.

She spiraled into depression. “Ayoko nang makita ’yung gloves, ’yung ring (I didn’t want to see gloves or a boxing ring anymore),” she recalled. “Sabi ko, uuwi na ako. Magtatrabaho na lang ako (I told myself, I’ll just go home. I’ll get a job instead).”

During this period of emotional collapse, Nesthy chose to shift her focus inward. She pursued her education, completing college units and later earning an Associate’s Degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from the University of Baguio.

“Kaya ko palang pagsabayin. Mahirap, pero posible (Turns out I could juggle both. It was hard, but it was possible),” she reflected, using education as a form of healing.

While on hiatus from boxing, her coach never gave up on her. Neither did her family—especially her youngest brother Nejie, who has Down syndrome.

“Kahit hindi ko sinasabi, niyayakap niya lang ako. Sinasabi niya, ‘Ate, thank you.’ Sobrang naramdaman ko ’yung pagmamahal (Even when I didn’t say anything, he would just hug me and say, ‘Ate, thank you.’ I really felt his love),” she said, eyes tearful.

With their love and belief in her, she returned stronger than ever.

In 2019, Nesthy won gold at the SEA Games and the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships. And the next year, she made history by winning a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics—forever securing her place in Philippine sports history.

Still, it wasn’t until the Paris Olympic qualifiers that she felt truly seen. “Nakakatuwa kasi binigyan na ng halaga kahit hindi gold. Noon, parang gold lang ang tinitingnan. Ngayon, kahit qualification pa lang, napapansin na kami (It’s heartwarming that we’re being recognized even if it’s not gold. Before, only gold was noticed. Now, even just qualifying gets attention),” Nesthy said.

In 2021, following her Olympic success, Nesthy was also given the opportunity to serve her country outside the ring—as a member of the Philippine Coast Guard under a special athlete enlistment program. It was her first official job beyond boxing.

“Sobrang supportive po nila (They’ve been so supportive),” she said. “Kahit sa training schedule ko, naiintindihan nila. Isa rin po silang naging sandigan ko (They understood my training schedule. They’ve really became a pillar of support for me).”

Her recent recognition by Manila Bulletin’s 2025 Newsmakers Awards is proof of that shift. Finally, the world sees not just a medalist—but the survivor, the woman, the sister, the daughter, the role model.

Through it all, Nesthy never forgot her why. She used her earnings and incentives to send her siblings to school, gift her sister a house in Tagaytay, and buy land and a store for her brother in their hometown.

“Lahat ng pangarap ko, para sa pamilya. Hindi ako sumuko, kahit isang beses. Kahit gaano kahirap (Everything I dreamed of was for my family. I never gave up—not once. No matter how hard it got),” she noted.

In recognition of her achievements, Nesthy received a ₱250,000 Ever Bilena direct sales business package from sportsman and Ever Bilena CEO Dioceldo Sy—a gesture that symbolizes the company’s commitment to empowering women across all industries, including sports. Staying true to her selfless spirit, Nesthy arranged to send the products to her sister in Davao del Sur, turning it into a shared business opportunity for her family.

Today, as she prepares for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Nesthy carries more than gloves—she carries the love of her family, the weight of a nation’s hope, and the fire of a Filipina who knows exactly who she is.

“Huwag kayong papayag na diktahan ng iba ang pangarap ninyo (Don’t let others dictate your dreams),” she said to all young girls. “Sundin niyo ’yung puso niyo—basta nasa tama at walang natatapakan. Patuloy lang lumaban (Follow your heart—just make sure it’s right and you hurt no one. Keep fighting).”

Nesthy Petecio is proof that real champions fight not just for titles, but for passion, for purpose, and for country.

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