MANILA, Philippines?Eleven athletes, led by top medal hope Harry Tañamor, will be part of the main batch of athletes and officials of Team Philippines that leaves for the Beijing Olympics on Aug. 5.

The 29th Olympic Games opens on Aug. 8 at the Beijing Olympic Stadium.

Joining boxer Tañamor in the Aug. 5 batch are Marestella Torres and Henry Dagmil of athletics, divers Shiela Mae Perez and Rexel Ryan Fabriga, swimmers Daniel Coakley, Ryan Paolo Arabejo, Miguel Molina, James Walsh and Joan Christel Simms, and weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz.

Chef de Mission and Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella as well as Olympic attaché Arturo Macapagal will head the 27-man RP group that will board a Philippine Airlines flight to the Chinese capital.

World boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, who has been appointed special Olympic envoy and flag-bearer during the opening ceremonies, and his wife Jinkee will join President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, First Gentleman Jose Miguel ?Mike? Arroyo, Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose ?Peping? Cojuangco Jr., Philippine Sports Commission chair William ?Butch? Ramirez and Sen. Gregorio ?Gringo? Honasan in the group of officials set to leave for Beijing on Aug 7.

Archer Mark Javier and shooter Eric Ang are leaving this Thursday together with coaches James Chua and Jennifer Chan, while taekwondo bets Marie Antoinette Rivero and Tshomlee Go will depart on Aug. 11 along with coaches Raul Samson and Kim Hong Sik.

Also part of the main batch are coaches Patricio Gaspi, Joseph Sy, Juan Enrique Tissert, Zhang Dehu, Jason Calanog, Carlos Brosas, Ramon Solis; press officer Jose ?Joey? Romasanta, Ricardo Yang, Mark Joseph, doctors Martin Camara, Alejandro Pineda and Orson Odulio.

The first group that will fly to Beijing Tuesday morning is made up of POC treasurer Julian Camacho, administrative official Mauricio ?Moying? Martelino and administrative assistant Eleanor dela Peña. They will attend the delegations? registration meeting Wednesday.

The RP advance party will join in the flag-raising rites along with several other nations on Aug. 4.

The four Filipinos who are seeing action in wushu, a special event in this Olympiad, will join Ang, Javier, Camacho, Martelino, and dela Pena during the ceremonies to be supervised by Athletes Village Mayor Chen Zhili.