The Philippine Olympic Committee appointed on Thursday Ramon “Tats” Suzara as head of the POC Broadcast Committee for the 31st Southeast Asian Games that Vietnam is hosting from May 12 to 23.
POC president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said Suzara will supervise bidding procedures, primarily on contents and the right to air replays of the competitions for at least the next whole year after the Games.
“Mr. Suzara has the experience to handle the task, especially that we are fresh off our hosting of the 30th edition of the SEA Games in 2019,” Tolentino said. “Broadcasting the campaign of our athletes overseas especially in major international competitions like the SEA Games, Asian Games or Olympics is a priority of the POC.”
Suzara was the president and CEO of the Philippine 30th SEA Games Organizing Committee, which successfully organized the biennial multi-sport competitions in 2019. His portfolio includes holding sensitive organizational tasks in the Doha 2006 Asian Games and the Oman 2010 Asian Beach Games.
He is also the president of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation and a juror, marketing development executive and currently secretary of the Volleyball Empowerment Commission of the International Volleyball Federation or FIVB.
“It’s a privilege to be appointed to the task, considering the fact that it very important for Filipinos to witness on television the exploits of our athletes in the SEA Games,” Suzara said.
At least four networks have either expressed their intention or will be invited to bid for the broadcasting rights for the Vietnam SEA Games. These are the government-ownerd PTV 4, GMA Network, TV5 and Tap Sports, a pay television network of sports channels.
Tolentino said Suzara will announce soon the terms of reference for the bidding procedure.
The POC has so far summed a 656-athlete that will see action in 39—44 disciplines—of the 40 sports programmed by Vietnam for its second hosting of the Games since 2003.