The Philippine Olympic Committee yesterday passed a resolution confirming the appointment of former Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano as head of the organizing committee “solely for the purpose of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games” and authorizing POC president Ricky Vargas to enter into a deal with the host nation’s two other major stakeholders.
Vargas made the announcement after conferring with Cayetano on the phone following an Executive Board meeting at the POC headquarters at the Philsports Arena (formerly Ultra) in Pasig City.
The Memorandum of Agreement the POC will enter into will involve the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee, according to Vargas, who ironed out the kinks with the POC’s and Phisgoc’s role in the presence of former POC president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco, former International Olympic Committee representative to the Philippines Frank Elizalde, and the outspoken board member Prospero Pichay.
“It was an emotional, fiery meeting that had good exchanges,” said Vargas, who revealed that the resolution provided the POC shall have control and supervision of Phisgoc, a portion of the private funds that will be gained by Phisgoc will have to be remitted to the POC for the benefit of the athletes.
The resolution also warranted that the Phisgoc will have regular reports to the POC and “all contracts entered into and to be entered into by Phisgoc shall be reviewed by the POC Board Member designated by the POS President.” (Nick Giongco)
