PSC to handle ’19 SEAG funds ‘with extra care’

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Sports Commission chairman William Ramirez yesterday said the experience of 2005 should give the country a better vantage point as it prepares to host the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

It will be the fourth time that the Philippines will host the SEA Games after 1981, 1991 and 2005, the year the country won the overall title for the first time since joining the event in 1977.

President Duterte last week named Sen. Jose Miguel Zubiri as chairman of the 2019 organizing committee.

Ramirez said the SEA Games secretariat will soon be formed and put up at the Philippine International Convention Center.

“All the meetings will take place there,” said Ramirez.

A meeting was scheduled last night among Zubiri, Ramirez and Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco at the latter’s residence in Makati.

“He’s very positive,” said Ramirez of the senator, tasked to represent the President in the organizing committee that will ensure a smooth staging of the 2019 SEA Games.

Ramirez said they have to come up with a name to replace the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee or Philsoc of 2005.

At the same time, Ramirez said this time, things will be done with extra care in order to avoid the repetition of the events that marred the 2005 hosting.

Ramirez said the committee will have to avoid problems  when it comes to the liquidation of funds spent on the hosting.

“We will be very careful not to make mistakes. We can organize well because we have the experience. I think this will be more organized,” he added.

The scheduled meeting with Cojuangco, according to Ramirez, will also help dispel reports that there’s animosity between and among the country’s top sports officials.

“There is a notion we are in conflict, but we’re not in conflict. We may have disagreements on how to run things but we’re not in conflict,” he said.