BY NICK GIONGCO
OFFICIALS not only from the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) but from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) are arriving to attend the country’s hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games.
Tats Suzara, the Chief Operating Officer of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) revealed that the OCA official will serve as observer while the pair of IOC officials will be here to drumbeat the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
“That only shows that what we are hosting is a prestigious event,” said Suzara, who is joining hands with the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission in holding the ambitious staging of the biennial sportsfest.
The SEAG formally opens today amid lavish rites at the 55,000-capacity Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.
Metro Manila will host the marquee sports but the main hub will be the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, where athletics and swimming take place with the 20,000-seater track stadium and a nearby aquatics center being showcased as the Philippines’ latest crown jewels.
SHOW OF SUPPORT
Meantime, in a show of support, members of the SEA Games Federation shrugged off the early hiccups of the organizing committee.
Malaysian NOC President Mohamad Norza Zakaria said “ as the immediate past host of the SEA Games, we understand what you are going through and we express full support for all your efforts especially as this is the biggest ever, with a record-breaking 56 sports.”
Indonesian National Olympic Committee President Raja Sapta Oktohari echoed Zakaria’s statement saying “ this hosting is historic and I commend my good friend President Tolentino for his pioneering effort in getting all these sports in the Philippine SEA GAMES”.
