People involved in organizing and preparing for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games need to step it up.
With nine months to go, organizers and officials need to fast-track their efforts to help national athletes find places where they can train and get the venues ready in time for the games.
Philippine Olympic Committee President Ricky Vargas said this a few days after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered issued Memorandum Circular no. 56.
Under the memorandum, all government agencies, the Philippine Sports Commission and the POC were encouraged to extend their support to the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee for the country’s hosting of the Games.
“We really need to move fast on these things. Ang bilis, katatapos lang ng Christmas, Pebrero na,” said Vargas before he went into a meeting with the PHISGOC.
Vargas, who visited the facilities of the Pretty Huge Obstacle Course at the SM Aura in Taguig, welcomed the issuance of circular no. 56 because this will hasten activities surrounding the staging of the Games from Nov. 29 to Dec. 10.
He later went into a meeting with PHISGOC in Makati to discuss the marketing aspects of the Games, and the role that sponsors will play.
Vargas believes that collaboration with the Philippine Sports Commission is very important.
“There’s so much going on. I’m happy it came out. Better late than never,” added Vargas.
The PSC is also set to closely coordinate with the PHISGOC on the operations of the Games.
So far, the PSC is processing the requests for equipment of many national sports associations who are preparing for the Games.
The agency is now waiting for the approval of the P7.5 billion budget for the hosting of the biennial meet.