Bacolod looks forward to SEAG of the south

Except for the finishing touches in repair and refurbishing of playing venues, everything is in place for Bacolod’s hosting of four events in the forthcoming 23rd Southeast Asian Games.

And despite their meager resources, the Bacolod SEAG Organizing Committee (BaSoc) officials are confident they can put in valuable contribution for the successful staging of the biennial games featuring close to 8,000 athletes and officials from 11 nations.

Bacolod is to host around 1,000 who will take part in boxing, weightlifting, football and volleyball to be played in five different venues around the city.

The city, chosen to be one of the satellite venues of the games, will actually have the honor of hosting the games for the longest period of time covering a total of 16 days. Action here starts as early as Nov. 20 with the opening of the men’s football competition.

Bacolod will also have its own opening rites at the Panaad Sports Complex on Nov. 27.

"I think we’re doing well in our preparation," said BaSoc secretary-general Eric Loretizo.

"We started our public-awareness drive as early as June, reserved hotel rooms for the delegations as early as February and expect refurbishing in the playing venues to be completed by the first week of October," Loretizo added.

Though also operating on minimal budget like the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee (Philsoc), Loretizo said they’re about 75 percent ready to host the games and could well do the job if the games are held now.

For one, the Panaad Sports Complex and the Paglaum Sports Complex are just undergoing minor refurbishing while the privately-owned West Negros College gym is undergoing upgrading without cost from the government.

"Of course, unlike the other areas in the country, we have no problem in security and in traffic. And being a province and first timer in hosting this event, our people are excited and it’s easy to get volunteers," said Loretizo.

"Sa dami nga ng sumisingit for the show in the opening ceremony, hindi agad ma-finalize," Loretizo added.

The Negrenses said they won’t be surprised if they came up with a better opening show than the one to be held at the Rizal Park with the province known for its several annual festivities, most specially the Masskara.

"The province has 32 festivals which we all showcase during the Panaad. We’re tapping these groups to do the cultural show in our opening ceremony," said Loretizo.

A total of 29 gold medals will be at stake in the four Bacolod events with the men’s football final to highlight hostilities here on Dec. 4 at the Panaad Sports Complex. Bacolod is the known hotbed of the sport in the country.

Fourteen gold medals will be disputed in boxing at the La Salle Coliseum, 10 gold medals in weightlifting at the Bacolod Convention Center, two in indoor volleyball at West Negros College gym and two in beach volleyball at the University of St. La Salle grounds.