The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano announced Thursday that the Philippines will be hosting the 30th edition of the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) in 2019.
Cayetano was with Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman William “Butch” Ramirez; and Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president, Jose “Peping” Cojuangco when he made the announcement before sports officials and media at the Mariott Hotel in Pasay City.
“Unang-una answered prayers po na matuloy ang ating hosting. At glory to God na ang ating atheletes will have a chance not only to show their sports, their skills, their talents, but also the new Philippines which we expect in the next two years, and our athletes’ preparation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics,” said Cayetano, who will sit as chairman of the 2019 SEAG Organizing Committee.
“We are not perfect, there’s a big challenge, para sa bayan at para sa ating athletes,” Cayetano said, adding that 2019 SEA Games is a big event to showcase what the Philippines has to offer.
Cayetano emphasized that unity and leadership will play an important role for the Philippines’ hosting of the games and they will “exercise leadership by example by being united. “
“I am in full faith with Cong. Peping, the president of POC, and Chairman Kuya Butch Ramirez, the chairman of the PSC, that they will be able to guide me and help us all have a successful hosting,“ Cayetano said.
This early, Cayetano said the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) and Clark are already making some preparations in case the committee decides to use their facilities.
Cayetano said he favors the holding of some games in Subic and Clark, which is envisioned to become “a special city.”
Cojuangco, meanwhile, said ASEAN sports leaders and other officials, especially the Southeast Asian Games Federation (SEAGF), are more than happy on the Philippines’ hosting of the games for the fourth time.
For his part, Ramirez, who was the chairman of the government sports agency when the Philippines won the overall championship in 2005, vowed that they government will do their best to help in the hosting of the biennial meet, particularly in attending to the needs of the national athletes. PNA