IN LIGHT of the controversies hounding the country’s hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games, the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) is pleading for the Filipinos’ unison as the biennial games formally opens tonight.
POC president Abraham Tolentino appealed to all Filipinos to “stand as one” since this will only be the fourth time the country is hosting the SEA Games after 1981, 1991 and 2005.
“Remember, the next time we will host this could be in 2030. So, let’s not pull each other down. This is for the country,” Tolentino said.
The past couple of days were marred by the failure of the local organizers to meet the demands of a multi-nation event, including accommodation, transportation and other basic needs of foreign delegates.
“We all make mistakes that is why we should work together. Those in the social media, the netizens, let’s move on first with our hosting,” Tolentino said. “It’s normal to have minor glitches. I’ve experienced that myself.”
“What’s important is for Filipinos to rally behind the athletes and the hosting in general,” he added. “Let’s just focus on our athletes. With this, my statement will be not only for us to ‘we win as one’ but ‘we stand as one’ in hosting this SEA Games.”
All these problems have solutions, and they are being addressed and being solved, Tolentino said.
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No less than athletes, coaches and sports officials have expressed excitement on the work done on the New Clark City Sports Complex in time for the staging of the 30th Southeast Asian Games.
After doing a series of test events on the tracks at the NCC Athletics Stadium in Capas, Tarlac, the national athletics team expressed optimism about delivering a strong performance in the biennial meet.
Leading sports solutions provider E-Sports International was the one tapped by lead developer MTD Philippines, a major SEA Games partner, to ensure the construction of a cutting-edge competition track, warm-up track, and athletic performance gym that will serve as the training hub of the Filipino athletes.
To date, the 14,000 square meters of competition track have been awarded a Class 1 Certification by the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF).
“It’s very inspiring to hear that the facilities we installed are making favorable impact on our athletes,” said Audris Romualdez, president of E-Sports International.
“We worked diligently to provide tracks and gym facilities that meet the highest quality standards and can match Olympic venues nationwide. By providing world-class facilities, our athletes are able to leverage on tools that will help them excel in their sport and unlock their full potential,” Romualdez added.
“E-Sports is resolute in delivering world-class facilities, and we will continue to forge strategic partnerships with sports innovators as well as invest in continuous education to further propel the sporting experience of our Filipino athletes,” Romualdez concluded./PN
