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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Planning for SEAG hosting underway

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DISCUSSION on the Philippines’ hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games in 2019 are finally moving forward.

Foreign Affairs Secretary and SEA Games Organizing Committee Chairman Allan Peter Cayetano said a three-member body—composed of Philippine Olympic Committee President Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr., Philippine Sports Commission chairman William “Butch” Ramirez and himself—have resolved issues concerning infrastructure and the venues that may be tapped for the Games.

Cayetano admitted that they have started quite late. But, talks with officials of the Bases Conversion Development Authority and Department of Public Works and Highways early this week gave them an insight of the things that should be done.

“We agreed on the basics, and we agreed to meet again,” said Cayetano following a meeting on Wednesday evening with Cojuangco and Ramirez, along with officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs, the BCDA and the DPWH.

Talks, according to Cayetano, are now shifting to the preparation and training of Filipino athletes and which facilities can be made available.

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The body, which met at the SM Aura in Taguig with volleyball sports official Ramon “Tats” Suzara facilitating the talks, is now set to schedule a series of meetings with the national sports associations over their training program.

“We will meet with the NSAs. It’s a work in progress. We are late because we have not been focusing on the organizational part for the last two months,” said Cayetano.

The Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan could serve as the main venue of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

Talks have been shaping up over the role that will be given to the facilities which have been put up by the church of Iglesia ni Kristo in Ciudad Victoria back in 2014.

From there, the other venues of the Games’ events can be spread out to Subic Bay, Olongapo, Clark Field in Pampanga and Manila.

The PSC is preparing plans to have renovations and repairs done on facilities inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, and those that are under the care of the Philippine Sports Commission.

An initial allocation of P2-billion is needed to cover the costs.

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