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BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Thursday, August 17, 2017
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MANILA – The Philippines had a change of heart and decided to push through with the hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games in 2019.
Philippine Sports Commission chairman Butch Ramirez and Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco announced this in a news conference on Thursday in Pasay City.
Foreign Affairs secretary Alan Peter Cayetano will serve as chairman of the SEA Games Organizing Committee.
Earlier, the government withdrew from hosting the 2019 SEA Games, saying the budget for the regional sporting event will be used for the rehabilitation of the conflict-torn Marawi City and other areas of Mindanao.
Cayetano said he endorsed the revival of the SEA Games hosting to Rodrigo Duterte, telling the President that the event will be a good avenue for Philippine athletes to show their wares before their fellow Filipinos.
“Our athletes will have the chance to showcase not only their sports, their talent, but also the new Philippines, which we expect in the next two years,” he said. “And [it will be] good enough preparation, too, for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.”
Ramirez said the plan was revived during a meeting with Presidential Management Staff head Bong Go, who brought up the discussion about the hosting.
“He (Go) asked me if there was an opening (for the SEA Games hosting) and I said yes,” Ramirez said. “Then it was Secretary Cayetano who endorsed [the plan] to the President.”/PN
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