By NICK GIONGCO
The country’s staging of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games will start to take shape after today’s Federation Council meeting that is being hosted by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) at the Bonifacio Global City.
The initial list of sports and events to be played during the biennial sportsfest scheduled Nov. 30 to Dec. 9 will be revealed following the crucial meeting among leading officials from the 11 member nations.
POC president Ricky Vargas will attend three vital committee meetings during the course of the two-day event, according to boxing secretary general Ed Picson, who is closely aligned with the boxing chief Vargas.
The centerpiece sports of athletics and swimming are shoo-ins while the POC will attempt to squeeze in as many Olympic sports as possible to make the games more credible than the previous editions.
Of course, basketball and boxing, the Philippines’ favorite sports, are likewise shoo-ins.
So important are the two sports to the country that they are going to be played outside the main hub of Clark.
“They will be held in Manila,” said Picson, confirming the Philippine Sports Commission’s announcement two weeks ago that they are indeed going to be held in the big city.
Still, Clark will be a hive of activity with almost half of the events to be contested being held there.
The Philippines is bidding to capture the overall crown for only the second time in history following its success in 2005 when it was the host.
