All on track for SEA Games

(1st of 2 Parts)

MANILA, Philippines — The road is clear to make the coming Southeast Asian (SEA) Games a rousing success. Only 100 days are left before the opening of the 30th edition of the 11-nation biennial event that the Philippines will host in 53 venues on Nov. 30-Dec. 11.

Infrastructure and rehabilitation efforts are on the way to completion. By the end of the month, the Athletics Stadium, Aquatics Center and Athletes’ Village will be 100 percent operational on a 40-hectare spread in New Clark City. There are major efforts to spruce up the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, particularly the Ninoy Aquino Stadium and the basketball coliseum, and they’ll be done by the first week of November. Ninoy Aquino will be mobilized for weightlifting and taekwondo while the basketball coliseum will be used for wushu and karatedo. A new squash center with two singles courts adjustable to a doubles and one jumbo doubles court will rise at the Rizal grounds in time for the competitions.

Early this year, political squabbling threatened to derail the progress of preparing for the staging of the SEA Games. But a series of events has calmed the storm to put everything back on track. First, POC president Ricky Vargas made the ultimate sacrifice to step down but not before announcing a key decision to appoint PSC chairman Butch Ramirez as the SEA Games chef de mission. Then, POC elections were held with Rep. Bambol Tolentino taking over as president and Steve Hontiveros as chairman. Finally, PHISGOC chairman and House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano convened the major players – PSC, POC and PHISGOC – to agree to a tripartite covenant in ensuring the success of the SEA Games under the slogan “We Win As One.” Now, everybody is on the same page.

Ramirez said the coming SEA Games will showcase one face of heroism which is love of country by the national athletes and coaches. He cited their sacrifices in the daily rigors of practices and discipline to become the best in SEA. “To compete against other athletes in the midst of our countrymen is a strong motivation to play their best,” said Ramirez. “Not everyone is given the chance to be a hero.”

Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) president Vince Dizon, meanwhile, didn’t stray from his commitment to deliver the facilities at the New Clark City on schedule even when the political tension was at its peak. The Athletes Village, for instance, will shortly be ready for occupancy with features including three-to-a-room, a bathroom for every room, a gym, basketball court and a lush park.

“By the end of the month, BCDA together with our private partner MTD Clark, Inc. will start testing the sports facilities at New Clark City which is now almost 100 percent finished,” said Dizon. “Soon, athletes will have access to the modern sports complex consisting of the 20,000-seat Athletics Stadium, the 2,000-seat Aquatics Center and the 525-bedroom Athletes Village so they can enhance their training and preparation for the SEA Games. The sports complex is part of the smart city fabric in New Clark City and will be the new home of our national athletes.”

A budget of P6 billion has been earmarked by the national government to host the SEA Games while the PSC is allocating P1.2 billion for the training and foreign exposure of athletes aside from P600 million for equipment. Separately, the New Clark City sports complex has a budget of P12.6 billion. Over 7,800 athletes and 3,400 coaches from 11 countries are expected to participate in the Games with the Philippines unleashing close to 1,900 competitors.  It will be the Philippines’ fourth staging of the event after 1981, 1991 and 2005.