SEAG buildup has full gov’t support

With the country’s preparations for the 21st Southeast Asian Games reaching fever pitch with only few minor kinks that would be ironed out in the next few weeks, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) stressed the government has kept its vow to fully support the campaign.

PSC chairman Carlos Tuason, in underscoring a directive by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to give priority to the country’s SEA Games bid, said the government sports agency has religiously and earnestly coordinated with the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and the various national sports associations (NSAs) on the preparations.

"The fact that we started early preparations for the SEA Games helped in easing the pressure from both the PSC and the POC, particularly on the acquisition of equipment," said Tuason. A PSC-POC SEA Games Task Force, he said, has started operations as early as January, or nine months before the SEA Games that are scheduled Sept. 9 to 17 in Kuala Lumpur, Johore Baru and Penang in Malaysia.

"The task force is responsible in all administrative concerns and decisions arrived at are done collegially, strictly complying with the agreement forged between the PSC-POC," Tuason added.

To date, the PSC has spent about P30 million on training and competition equipment for 29 NSAs that are sending athletes to the SEA Games. Besides, the agency also has bankrolled the foreign exposure of all 29 NSAs’ athletes, the figure reaching P50 million to include the necessary advance training requirements, travel processing, athletes and coaches’ daily subsistence and accommodation, among others.

The Philippines is competing in 29 of the 32 events Malaysia has calendared for the SEA Games. And to guarantee that all 29 NSAs would be prepared for the Games, each was allowed at least one foreign exposure, which also served as a gauge for the selection of their athletes for the delegation.

Tuason said the PSC and POC are looking at a delegation of more or less 400 athletes and officials, perhaps the most rational figure considering the number of sports the country is competing in.

Minor kinks, according to Tuason, include such aspects as parade and competition uniforms, shoes and other miscellaneous requirements.