Manila as main hub of 2005 SEA Games

Unless Clark Field, Pampanga and other bidders can figure out a way to maximize crowd support, the Philippine Olympic Committee may end up endorsing Metro Manila as the main hub of the 2005 Southeast Asian Games.

"The POC’s main objective is to benefit from the homecourt edge to the hilt," said POC secretary-general Romeo Ribano. "We all know that athletes are inspired especially in the presence of a huge hometown crowd as seen in the 1991 Manila SEAG experience."

In its recent meeting, the POC executive board has decided to endorse Metro Manila as the main venue of at least 10 or half of the 32 to 34 events planned for 2005 in a bid to match, if not surpass, the 91 gold medals RP won in 1991.

The remaining half will be distributed equally to the other co-bidders, which at present is numbering to four – Clark, Pampanga, Bacolod City and Cebu City. Tubod, Lanao del Norte, which successfully hosted the First Mindanao Friendship Games, has shown its interest of bidding to host some of the games although it has yet to put its intent on paper.

In the same meeting, the POC also set a limit for the number of co-hosts after considering woes that could be encountered like transportation, equipment availability and peace and order. - Joey Villar

Malaysia, host of the SEAG’s 2001 edition, has applied the same method after spreading out the games to three different venues, Kuala Lumpur, where most of the events were held, Johore Baru and Penang, Vietnam, the 2003 host, has also spread out the events to two key venues – Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

"Of course, it’s still the SEAG organizing committee which has the final say on this but as we are concerned, we would like to hold most of the games in Manila," said Ribano.

To date, Malacañang has yet to form the SEAG organizing committee for 2005 although Ribano said that the said group will be composed of representatives from the POC, the Philippine Sports Commission, Malacañang, and related departments and agencies from government and the private sector. – Joey Villar