CebuSOC lets go of taekwondo

The Cebu Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (CebuSOC) has decided to let go of taekwondo as the proposed budget for Cebu City's co-hosting of the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) was passed without hitches at the executive session of the Cebu City Council yesterday.

Chairman Jonathan Guardo of CebuSOC said Cebu City will no longer appeal the decision of the taekwondo national sports association (NSA) of transferring from Cebu City to Manila the taekwondo event in the SEAG, which will happen later this year.

"We (the organizing committee) will not anymore appeal. We decided to let go of taekwondo," Guardo said. "Sayang because the event is a crowd drawer."

But Guardo explained that letting go of taekwondo will also give Cebu City enough savings.

"We can save around P1 million," he said.

In the SEAG budget as stipulated in the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between CebuSOC and PhilSOC, taekwondo is allocated P723,000.

The budget represents P135,000 for the return economy ticket of the 45 officials, P168,000 for the hotel accommodation of the RP team members, P40,000 for the accommodation of the International Federation Officials and P380,000 for the hotel accommodation of the competition officials.

A separate budget is also earmarked for the uniforms and meals of the volunteers, who will help assist in the taekwondo competition as well as the transportation requirements of all the people involved.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña committed to CebuSOC funds amounting to P3 million and the local organizing committee here drafted a budget of P2,693,000 based on the MOA.

Cebu City will be hosting SEAG competitions in dancesport on November 27 at the Waterfront Hotel-Lahug, sepak takraw on November 28 to December 4 at the Cebu Coliseum and pencak silat on November 28 to December 4, also at the Cebu Coliseum.

Mountainbike will be held in Danao City on November 28 and 29 while judo (November 30-December 3) and karatedo (November 27-29) will be at the Mandaue City Sports and Cultural Center.

The Waterfront Hotel-Lahug will also be the main hub of the SEAG event here in Cebu as it will house the media center and secretariat of the games as well as the International Federation and PhilSOC officials.