Informing the public of the venues for the games of the 30th Southeast Asian Games is the main concern of the Philippine Sports Commission now that the biennial meet is just three months away.
PSC chairman William Ramirez raised this concern after he affixed his signature during the signing of a tripartite agreement between the PSC, the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine SEAG Organizing Committee.
“I would like to tell them that we would like to immediately have signs in all venues that these are the places where the games are to be played. I am suggesting that immediately all venues should have identifications,” said Ramirez during the signing ceremony held yesterday at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino signed the agreement with Ramirez, along with Phisgoc president and CEO Ramon Suzara.
Ramirez, who is also the chef de mission of the national team, noted the lack of signages and tarpaulins when he visited playing venues that are being prepared for the Games when he and three other commissioners conducted ocular inspection at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
With the agreement in place, the government sports agency will able to quickly releasing the full assistance to the operations of the Phisgoc with a budget of P6-billion that is under the care of the PSC.
On the other hand, the Phisgoc now has the obligation to submit reports on its financial activities to the PSC and the POC, and turn over excess funds that it has in its possession.
As for the POC, it will now be able to monitor the activities of the Phisgoc, the technical aspect of the Games, oversee its expenditures and marketing activities.
Ramirez expressed disappointment when he and members of the board visited the places that have been tapped inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone as venues for the biennial meet.
The beachfront area will be the site of the triathlon competitions, which will be at the Boardwalk along Dewey Avenue.
The Boardwalk will also be used for duathlon, open water swimming and modern pentathlon.
When PSC officials went to the Subic Bay Exposition and Convention Center, they also noted that the rooms that will be used for muay, table tennis and pencak silat are still bare.
The hall was empty and dark when the agency officials went to the Subic gymnasium, the site of sepak takraw.
Suzara said the work done on the track oval and pool at the New Clark City are way ahead of schedule.
And they will be ready to have tryouts for athletes and swimming on Aug. 27.
“That’s why we want to test the facilities. So we will know if there are problems,” said Suzara.