The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) yesterday virtually approved the inclusion of 642 athletes and officials to the 29th Southeast Asian Games this August in Malaysia.
“This is the number (that the PSC will finance) and this number can still go down but it won’t go up,” said lawyer Ronnel Abrenica, who serves as the PSC’s Chief of Staff.
Of the 642, 493 will make up athletes from 37 sports that will be contested in the Aug. 19-30 biennial sportsfest in Kuala Lumpur.
The PSC had earlier wanted a delegation that won’t bloat but the SEAG Task Force recommended that a bigger number be sent to compete as the country sets the stage for the hosting of the 2019 edition.
The Philippines is aiming to improve on its sixth place showing two years ago in Singapore with a fifth place finish this year, something the Philippine Olympic Committee believes is attainable.
The PSC has been throwing its all-out support to athletes the last several months in the hopes of achieving that goal of faring much better in Malaysia.
After winning the overall title for the first time when it was hosts in 2005, the Philippines’ performances in the succeeding editions faltered.
Malaysia is dangling 405 gold medals in 38 sports and is eyeing to take the overall crown as the country celebrates its 60th year of independence on August 31.