“WE’RE on track!”
Ito ang sinabi ni Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee Chief Operating Officer (COO) Ramon ‘Tats’ Suzara sa second Chief of Mission meeting na dinaluhan ng 11 delegtion heads, kasama si Chief of Mission at Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William ‘Butch’ Ramirez sa isang hotel sa Pasay City.
“We at Phisgoc and PSC and people involved in the SEA Games worked hard, pulled our resources together and consolidated our efforts to ensure the success of the games and assure foreign delegates and athletes their brief stay in the Philippines is meaningful, memorable and full of fond memories,” sabi ni Suzara.
Naniniwala ang 10 foreign Chief of Missions na matagumpay maidaraos ang SEA Games dahil sanay at bihasa ang Filipinas sa pagho-host ng malalaking international sports competitions.
Ang Phisgoc ay pinamumunuan ni dating senator at Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano.
Naglaan ang PSC ng P5 billion na pondo para masiguro ang tagumpay ng biennial meet na gaganapin sa bansa sa ika-4 na pagkakataon magmula noong 1981.
Puntirya ng Pinas na kunin ang overall championship at duplikahin ang ginawa noong 2005 kung saan nagwagi ang bansa ng 113-84-94 total medals at itinanghal si swimmer Eric Buhain bilang most bemedalled athlete sa pagsisid ng pitong ginto.
Lalarga ang 30th edition ng biennial meet sa Nobyembre 30 hanggang Disyembre 11, tampok ang mahigit 11,000 atleta na mag-tatagisan ng galing sa 56 sports. CLYDE MARIANO