The games may have already
started playing earlier this week, but for all intents and purposes the
Philippines-held 2019 Southeast Asian Games have not begun in earnest until the
opening ceremony kicks off this coming Saturday. On the remaining days leading
up to the weekend, organizers and the government have been fielding inquiries
and criticisms on the preparations, ranging from held-back funding, in-operational
facilities and an apparently questionable menu for the women’s football team.
Since then, some clarification on these mishaps and further explanations have
been provided by the organizing committee, assuring that most publicized
problems have now been resolved.
CNN Philippines reports that the Philippine Southeast Asian Games
Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) has declared that many of the problems brought
up regarding the event preparations over the past several days, particularly
when the athletes and support staff started arriving, are now mostly resolved.
PHISGOC Chief Operating Office Ramon Suzara announced Wednesday, November 27,
that several issues brought up during the SEA Games preparations ahead of the
opening ceremony have been dealt with. “We are ready,” remarks Suzara, adding
that the organizers continue to strive towards making the Philippines’ hosting
successful.
Top concerns for the 30th
SEA Games included logistical hiccups such as food for the delegates, working infrastructure
and assignment of volunteers, as well as accrediting media companies providing
coverage for the competitions not just for the country but the rest of
Southeast Asia. Regarding volunteers, about 4,000 more will start duties at the
SEA Games venues as the week goes on. A follow-up post from the organizers on
Facebook also explains that the earlier snarl that messed up deployments of SEA
Games volunteers was also addressed and should pose no problem. Philippine
Olympic Committee President Abraham Tolentino also chimes in that media accreditation
is fixed, and that all venues are ready to host games.
While POC Head Tolentino admits
to the presence of many preparation issues with the Southeast Asian Games, due
to it featuring over double the number of athletic events from the last one,
and scattered across parts of Luzon to boot, he also notes that media coverage
of the last few days have been leaping to conclusions and making some of the
problems appear worse than they are. An earlier report of how the women’s
football team was served kikiam street food was corrected by the hotel
accommodating them, stating that it was actually chicken sausages, and the menu
was also certified halal for Muslim delegates.
Lastly, Tolentino has left the
media still guessing on which Filipino celebrity or athlete may be assigned to
carry the flag for the opening ceremony, noting that the whole nation will know
this November 30.
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