Big blow to PH’s SEA Games hosting
Credit to Author: EDDIE G. ALINEA| Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2019 16:28:44 +0000
Based on recent developments, the Philippines might as well go into the motion of playing host to the 30th Southeast Asian Games it is scheduled to stage from November 30 to December 11 in different venues in Central Luzon, Metro Manila and suburbs.
The country, alright, remains as host of the biggest ever edition of the once every two-year competitions among the best athletes in the 11-member meet in terms of the number sports at 56 and events to be disputed at 523.
To make this Games the most memorable and the most successful as expected of the Filipinos’ world—r renowned reputation as the best organizers of events of this magnitude and most hospitable at that has been put to doubt.
In a span of a few days last week, the Senate cut the proposed P7.5 billion budget submitted by the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) by 33 percent, thus, reducing the amount to merely P5 billion or P1.5 billion short of the intended financial requirements.
Then on Wednesday, in a meeting in Malacañang among PHISGOC co-chairmen, Foreign Affairs secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and Philippine Sports Commission head Butch Ramirez and Philippine Olympic Committee president Ricky Vargas, with Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, held to lessen the impact of the senate decision, nothing positive seemed to have come out.
Meaning not even the Palace, if Ramirez was to be believed, could provide the additional P1.5 billion slashed by the Upper Chamber of Congress from the original P7.5 billion.
“No assurance,” Ramirez told media men emphatically when asked what transpired during then meeting at Malacañang where representatives from the Budget Department and the Public Works and Highways also attended along with POC chair, Rep. Abraham Tolentino.
It was hoped that with the intervention of Malacañang, President Duterte, for that matter, the Senate would have a change of heart and provide organizers of the Games the amount it needs.
“With a 33 percent cut, mahirap. Our estimate to have the level of hosting we want, international standard, security, venues, broadcast, etc., we aready need about P6 billion,” Cayetano bemoaned. “Part of our meeting (with Medialdea) ay kung paano mapupunan ‘yung P1 billion from the private and public funds.”
The DBM was reportedly been tasked to look where it can source the money to augment the reduced funding requirements. An initial batch of sponsors from the private sector has also been asked to help as Platinum sponsors to produce from $1 million to $3 million. according to Cayetano.
Despite the 33-percent budget cut, preparations, especially on the venues requirements, are on schedule, PHISGOC executive director Tom Carrasco, assured. “There are and there will be challenges. And we must be prepared to meet them. Kaya nga ang Presidente na mismo nagbigay ng directive to all concerned – DBM, DPWH, PSC, POC. I’m very confident we can find a solution to the problem.”
“When we won the right to play as host, we immediately planned to stage a SEA Games that would surpass all previous SEAGs,” Carrasco recalled. “May kayabangan nga kasi tayo. Pero ang kayabangan natin, ginagawa natin. We had already hosted these Games thrice and nobody could accuse us of bungling those times na nag-host tayo. Kaya pa natin, nine months pa bago mag-opening. Kailangan lang magkaisa tayo at magsama-sama alang-alang sa bayan.”
“Hindi lamang naman and Pangulo ang mapapahiya kung pumalpak tayo, Hindi lamang ang Senado. Tayong lahat, ang buong bansa at ang buong sambayanang Pilipino. At sisiguruhin ko ito, walang Pilipinong papayag na mangyayari ‘yun,” Carrasco declared.
The hosting rights of the 2019 Games were originally awarded to Brunei Darussalam, but that country pulled out days before the 2015 Southeast Asian Games due to “financial and logistical reasons.”
The Philippines was offered as site for the Games with then POC president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco virtually volunteering to ho host the Games. However, the Philippines’ hosting was left uncertain following the withdrawal of government support on July 2017 as it plans to use the funds intended for the games on the rehabilitation of Marawi after being occupied by ISIS supporters. Thailand was willing to step in if no other countries expressed interest to host.
Eventually, the Philippines reversed its withdrawal of support and announced that it accepted the hosting of the Games on August 16, 2017.
The country’s hosting of the 30th SEA Games is considered as a stepping-stone for its possible bid to host the 2022 Asian Games.
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