PH TO HOST 2019 SEA GAMES IN DAVAO
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 14 Jul 2016
Clothed with the full support of no less than President Rodrigo Duferte himself, Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose "Peping" Cojuangco flew fo Kuala Lumpur last Tuesday to formally relay to the Southeast Asian Games Federation the country's acceptance of an offer for the Philippines to host the 30th edition of the SEA Games three years from now.
Cojuangco will also inform the SEAGF Council meeting that the 11-nation conclave will be held in President Duterte's hometown Davao City instead of Manila to which the hosting was originally offered after Brunei Darussalam begged off.
"Butch Ramirez (Philippine Sports Commission chairman) told us President Duterte has approved Davao as the site of he 2019 Games and that's the good news we will be reporting the Council during its meeting," Cojuangco told this writer before boarding the plane that was to carry him and his party of seven, mostly members of he POC board, to the Malaysian capital.
Ramirez, the PSC chair for only a week, in a separate interview, confirmed the Chief Executive's approval made through executive secretary Salvador Medaldia, whom he met Monday evening.
"Yeah, Secretary Medaldia told me it's ok to the President to bring the Games to Davao, his hometown, more of because of it's historical value being it's 30th anniversary," Ramirez said.
"Besides, 2019 also marks the Philippines' 42nd year as member of the then 10-nation SEA Games Federation kaya doubly significant para sa ating bansa," the PSC top honcho added, in reference to year 1977 when the country wa admitted to the formerly called Southeast Asian Peninsular (SEAP) Games.
Ramirez and Cojuangco agreed that with three years to prepare, both the PSC and the POC will have ample time for the run up to make the 2019 Games the most successful in terms of hosting and the Filipino athletes' participation.
"Tatlong taon tayong maghahanda at pag hindi pa naman natin mapagbuti ang hosting at ang partisipasyon ng ating mga atleta, eh napaka-bobo na natin," the POC head said jokingly. "Eleven years ago when we last hosted the Games, we emerged the overall champion. With the time given us to prepare, I think we can do it again."
Ramirez, for his part, said Secretary Medaldia will be coming out with letters of instructions to the government agencies concerned to help in making the national undertaking a success.
"Malaking trabaho ito, but we can do it," he asserted. "I have already talked to some people in the corporate world and they all promised to lend their hands. We are doing this for our country anyway."
"It will be the first time that an international sporting event of this magnitude will be held in Mindanao and even the President, I'm sure will do everything para hindi mapahiya ang Mindanao and ang mga Mindanaoans sa harap pa naman ng international audience," he said.
The 2019 Games will be the fourth time that the Philippines will play host to the biennial conclave held here in 1981, 1991 and 2005.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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