DFA chief Cayetano to lead 2019 SEAG organizing body

MANILA, Philippines – Foreign Affairs Sec. Alan Peter Cayetano, the newly designated chairman of the organizing committee of the 30th Southeast Asian Games, declared it’s a go for the country’s hosting of the 11-country meet sin 2019.

Cayetano, one of the President Duterte’s closest associates, formally assumed the position Thursday, putting to rest uncertainties on the staging of the 2019 SEAG on Philippine soil.

“Answered prayer po na natuloy ang ating hosting (Our prayers of pushing through with the hosting were answered),” Cayetano said in a press conference with Philippine Olympic Committee president Peping Cojuangco and Philippine Sports Commission chairman Butch Ramirez.

“Our athletes will have the chance not only to showcase their sports, their talents, but also the ‘new Philippines’ which we expect for the next two years,” he added.

The government had previously announced it was withdrawing its commitment to the hosting primarily due to the Marawi crisis. But a fresh round of talks, involving Cayetano and Sec. Bong Go this time, led to a reconsideration of the government’s position.

“It’s our athletes that bring out the best in the Filipino.  Whenever they compete abroad, the crowd was cheering against them but whether they win or lose, people fall in love with Filipino athletes so what we really want to showcase in 2019 is the Filipino through the athletes,” he said.

 “When Manny Pacquiao fights, there’s a zero crime rate. If look at the Mexicans, they didn’t like him when he fought Mexicans. But now, the Mexicans love Manny Pacquiao. That’s the Filipino heart. I think that got to all us but it took us near giving up the hosting to realize how important it is to host it,” he added.

He further stated that the SEAG “fits so much with the anti-drug campaign of the Duterte administration.”

Both Cayetano and Ramirez said funding for the tournament, which some estimated at P400 million, won’t be a problem from the government side.

“The general appropriations allocates money for the hosting, whatever the deficiency, we’ll get from other sources,” Ramirez said, citing potential sponsors from the private sector.

“We’ll spend not a peso more than is needed but we’ll make sure we’ll not lack a peso of what is needed sa budget,” said Cayetano. “We’ll be transparent about it.”

Cojuangco is set to inform the SEA Games Federation Council about the good news when he attends the meeting Friday in Malaysia.