Cayetano wants Philippines to invest in sports tourism
MANILA, Philippines — House Speaker and Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee Chairman Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday stressed the need for efficient spending on the hosting of the biennial sports meet.
At the press launch for MILO’s new partnership deal with the governing bodies of the Philippines’ SEA Games hosting, Cayetano cited that sports tourism is a $600 billion industry that could prove to be beneficial should the Philippines explore it.
“Hindi lang Pilipinas lang ito. It will also build jobs in our country,” he said.
(This isn’t just the Philippines. It will also build jobs in our country.)
He pointed to the Department of Budget and Management’s allocation for sports and sports tourism being cut to P7.5 billion. He expressed gratitude as well for the P1-billion augmentation fund approved by President Duterte.
Cayetano also cited the large numbers of sports audiences around Southeast Asia.
“Yan po ang part ng soul ng Pilipino at napabayaan the last two or three decades at nagfocus tayo sa science at math na tama naman,” he argued. “[But] can you teach teamwork inside the classroom?”
(This is a part of the soul of the Filipino, and we squandered it in the last two or three decades and focused on science and math, and rightfully so. But can you teach teamwork inside the classroom?)
His co-speakers during the launch also spoke of sports as an avenue for imparting values including teamwork and discipline. “Such display of character will serve as a gold standard to parents and children on how starting young into sports promote character forming values that contribute to nation building," said Lester P. Castillo, Assistant Vice President of Nestle Philippines.
The PHISGOC head also expressed interest in building the Clark Free Port as a key sports tourism destination during the Games.
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