19,767 cops, personnel to secure SEA Games

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 19,767 police officers and personnel of government agencies will be deployed to secure the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, an official said yesterday.

“The venues in Metro Manila are ready for the SEA Games following the security inspections conducted by the chiefs of police and station commanders,” Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, outgoing chief of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), said.

The Philippines is hosting the SEA Games from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.

According to Eleazar, the athletes will be billeted in 24 hotels in Metro Manila.

The NCRPO will be augmented by personnel of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Bureau of Fire Protection and Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Other venues for the upcoming SEA Games are Bulacan, Laguna, Subic, Tagaytay and the New Clark City sports complex in Capas, Tarlac. 

Over 10,000 athletes from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Timor Leste, Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines are expected to participate in 543 sporting events.

The Philippines won its first-ever SEA Games overall championship in 2005.

The country hosted the SEA Games in 1981 and 1991.