Garcia heads BIMP-EAGA Council

MANILA, Philippines –  Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Ricardo Garcia was recently elected chairman of the BIMP-EAGA Sports Council as the country prepares to host the biennial friendship games of the four-nation group in 2012.

Garcia assumed the post during the council’s recent meeting in Manila, where the PSC chief set in motion the country’s hosting, beginning with a pre-Games marathon event in Davao City in 2011.

The date and venue of the BIMP-EAGA tournament proper have yet to be decided.

Davao, General Santos-Sarangani and Cagayan de Oro are being considered as possible site for the games, the sports arm of the subregional economic cooperation initiative of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

The Philippines was supposed to hold the seventh edition of the meet this year but postponed it in the wake of the leadership change at the PSC in the middle of 2010.

This will be third time for the country to stage the friendly meet, having hosted the inaugural edition in Gen San in 1996, as well as the third in Puerto Princesa in 2003.

Events on tap for the 2012 games are sepak takraw, badminton, karatedo (kata), table tennis, pencak silat, chess and marathon.

Garcia said the council also approved to set an age limit of 23 for the participants.

The BIMP-EAGA Games aims to provide an opportunity to intensify interaction among peoples and governments within the BIMP-EAGA other than trade; to enhance unity and cooperation among youths of participating countries through friendly sports cooperation; and to showcase the host’s socio-economic, cultural and educational development.