Palace lauds Pinoy athletes for topping 30th SEAG

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang lauded Filipino athletes for propelling the Philippines to the overall championship of the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games and attributed the event’s success to the embattled Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC).

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said all athletes and their support staff did a “wonderful job” giving pride and honor to their respective countries. 

“Congratulations as well to the members of the Philippine contingent for becoming the overall champion of this biennial regional sports event, with a record-breaking 149 gold medals, constituting a substantial part of the total 385 medals our country received,” Panelo said last Wednesday night. 

“We are happy in the Philippines not only because all participating countries secured medals but for the other reason that their athletes will be bringing wonderful and unforgettable memories with them to their homes. Indeed, #WeWinAsOne,” he added. 

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said all athletes are winners in their own right because they all embody the spirit of sportsmanship and share the singular vision of being one big regional community.

“We are also extending our praises to the Philippine delegation for claiming the overall championship of this edition of the SEA Games.

You have shown that Filipinos are topnotch athletes and you have made us and all of our countrymen around the world proud of your excellent achievements,” Andanar said. 

Despite the glitches that initially hounded the organizers, Andanar said the Philippines was delighted to host the SEA Games, which featured a total of 56 games, the biggest number of events included in the athletic event to date.  

“This would not have been possible if not for the hard work done by the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee, which has translated into the Games successes.

Hence, we extend our deepest gratitude to the PHISGOC and also to all the volunteers that have made our hosting of the 30th SEA Games truly exemplary,” Andanar said. 

PHISGOC, a private foundation chaired by Speaker Alan Cayetano, has been criticized for the problems and controversies that confronted the Philippines’ hosting of the SEA Games, including billeting and transportation issues and the building of a cauldron that cost at least P45 million.

Cayetano has denied allegations that the SEA Games funds have been misused and has welcomed plans by government agencies, including the Office of the President and the Office of the Ombudsman, to investigate the issue. 

Panelo and Andanar said the Philippines is looking forward to the next SEA Games to be hosted by Vietnam in 2021. 

Cayetano claimed yeterday that the SEA Games had already brought in economic gains to the nation, particularly in terms of tourism.

“We won not only in terms of sports, but definitely in terms of economy as well. In tourism, more than P1 billion of revenue already came and that’s just the initial estimate,” he said.

The government spent P7.5 billion for the hosting of the SEA Games. 

The government had allotted P6 billion to the Philippine Sports Commission under the delayed 2019 budget. The PHISGOC raised P1.5 billion from sponsors for the remaining expenses that did not undergo public bidding.

Cayetano said the hosting is expected to boost tourism in the country, especially in sports and meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) industries. 

Cayetano said he is overwhelmed by the results of the biennial event that he said was very successful and the “best edition so far.”

“We’re thankful to God because we not only carried through the event, it was very successful and it brought so much sense of pride not to us organizers but to the entire nation. We’re very hopeful that this is just the start and that finally we will put money into sports,” he stressed.

He said the country’s hosting elevated the standards of the SEA Games that the next host, Vietnam, is concerned that they might not be able to match this edition and that they would reduce the number of sporting events.

“We will help them because they are our brothers. They don’t have to be better than us to be successful. We’re happy that this is the best SEA Games ever but we’ll support the next and the next hosts to have an even better SEA Games,” he said.

Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go congratulated Team Philippines for exemplary performance.

Go, who is also the chair of the committee on sports in the Senate, said that he is grateful for the efforts of all the athletes who participated in the biennial sports meet. 
Go also commended the parents and families of the athletes and coaches who continuously supported the delegation throughout the Games.

Senate probe

The success of the SEA Games will not stop the Senate from investigating the events’ funds.

Senators Panfilo Lacson and Imee Marcos said PHISGOC should account for the funds used during the event.

Lacson also clarified that the success and honor of the Filipino athletes should be separated from the PHISGOC.

“Whatever honors the atheletes brought, 149 golds, 287 overall, the organizing committee has nothing to do with it,” said Lacson said in English and Filipino.

Lacson cited the athletes and sponsors for all the golds and accomplishments in the SEA Games, and not the PHISGOC.

He said it was the sponsors and the athletes themselves who are responsible and their success should not be attributed to PHISGOC.

He added that PHISGOC was the organizing council and whatever blunders they had, true or not, should be looked into by the oversight mandate of the Senate and House of Representatives. - With Emmanuel Tupas, Delon Porcalla, Edu Punay, Cecille Suerte Felipe