THE MAN at the helm of the country’s staging of the 30th Southeast Asian Games from Nov. 30-Dec. 11 yesterday made the assurance that the rehabilitation of key government-owned facilities eyed to host major events will be ready in time when the biennial sportsfest gets off the ground.
“Matatapos ito (We’ll complete all the works),” said Philippine Sports Commission chairman and 2019 SEAG chief of mission Butch Ramirez said during the weekly PSA Forum at the Amelie Hotel in Ermita, Manila.
Earlier, the Phisgoc had expressed concern over the rehabilitation of the Rizal Memorial Coliseum and Ninoy Aquino Stadium (NAS) in Manila and the Phislports Arena in Pasig with Phisgoc executive director Tom Carrasco revealing that talks with alternate venues have commenced.
The Phisgoc is conferring with several parties so the host country can have a fallback in case the upgrading of the government-owned facilities fail to meet the deadline.
The Rizal Coliseum had been tabbed as venue for gymnastics while the the NAS was booked as venue for taekwondo and weightlifting. The Philsports, meanwhile, had been penciled for volleyball.
Ramirez, whose agency has thrown its all-out support to modernize facilities at Rizal and elsewhere, has a scheduled meeting with the contractors of the Rizal Coliseum, NAS and Philsports.
“I have been assured that it will be completed between Nov. 15-20,” said Ramirez.
In fact, the PSC is so upbeat of the repairs being completed by the third week of November that a Nov. 14 pep rally has already been scheduled.
Eleven nations, includijng the Philippines, are taking part in the 2019 SEAG that will offer close to 530 gold medals in 56 sports in competitions at New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, Metro Manila, Subic and key cities in Central and Southern Tagalog.
The rehabilitation was aided by money from Pagcor although the PSC likewise had also earmarked a hefty amount so it can make these ages-old venues catch up with the times.
Even after the SEAG, the PSC has a growing list of clientele for the use of the Rizal Coliseum, NAS and Philsports with the country’s premier collegiate leagues–UAAP and NCAA–already inquiring about long-term bookings. (Nick Giongco)
