Immediately after conducting his inspection of the New Clark City sports hub, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano has declared that the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Committee (PHISGOC) Foundation, Inc., the organizing committee of the 30th SEA Games, the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) are 100% ready to host the SEA Games from November 30 to December 11, 2019.
The inspection was done as part of the preparation for the SEA Games was led by Cayetano as Chairman of PHISGOC, with Senator Bong Go, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports. They were joined by POC President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Toletino (2nd District, Cavite), PSC Chairman William Ramirez, and House Committee on Sports and Youth Development Chairman Rep. Eric Martinez (2nd District, Valenzuela City), among others.
“Our current challenges include ensuring all aspects of the 30th SEA Games would be properly handled.”
The Speaker, however, raised in a press conference that their current challenges include ensuring that, despite the expected 12,000 athletes and coaches, 1,000 international media and 15,000 volunteers, among others, all aspects of the 30th SEA Games will be properly handled. The veteran legislator bared that PHISGOC has been conducting several rehearsals and walkthroughs to anticipate possible issues that may arise throughout the event.
“Ang nangyayari ngayon rehearse nang rehearse, practice nang practice, meet nang meet. Yung walkthrough importante kasi hindi mo naman makikita ang problema nang hindi muna dinadaanan…Sa airport lang eh, halos sabay sabay dadating yung mga delegates. Remember, we have to treat the athletes well at ayaw nating ma-accuse na na-hassle sila kaya naapektuhan ang performance nila,” the seasoned lawmaker said.
“Most hurdles faced during the preparations were caused by the budget delay.”
He further noted that most hurdles faced during the preparations were caused by the budget delay. Meanwhile, Cayetano mentioned that these are already being compensated through the initiatives of the event sponsors and volunteers. He cited that most contributions of the private sector are partly in cash and in kind.
On the issue of traffic management, Cayetano explained that it will mostly be experienced in the events to be held in Metro Manila and not in New Clark City.
Cayetano admitted that it will be a challenge for the PHISGOC, but he assured that the security group is working on a plan in order to ensure the comfort and convenience of all guests and participants.
“We have to show the 10 other countries participating yung Filipino hospitality. On one sense we are competitors. We want to win, and win as one. We want to be the overall champion, but we want to win it fairly and squarely. So yung preparations, especially sa athletes, coaches and technical officials ay napaka-importante,” he said.