Manila looms as SEAG main hub

Due to the lack of time and resources to build a new main stadium, Manila, the country’s capital city, has once again emerged as the most logical choice to host and serve as main hub of the 23rd Southeast Asian Games in 2005.

Without issuing an official statement, Philippine Olympic Committee president Celso Dayrit pointed toward this direction when he said that the 2005 SEA Games organizers are now looking for sites with existing facilities.

"The budget, so far, is not available," said Dayrit as far as the building of a new main stadium is concerned.

Aside from Manila, which hosted the 1991 SEA Games, other key cities or provinces that have signified their intention to host the biennial event are Pampanga, Bacolod, Iloilo, Cebu, Naga and Lanao del Norte.

But unlike Manila, the rest of the bidders will have to spend a lot more to prepare for the games. Pampanga, for its part, would need close to P2 billion to build a new main stadium, other sports facilities or the athletes’ village.

"Besides, I don’t think there’s enough time to build one because you’d need as much as two years just to build a medium-size stadium," said the POC chief. "That’s why we are looking for sites with existing facilities to host majority of the events."

Dayrit said it would take as long as two years to build a medium-size stadium, and with the year half gone, it’s very unlikely for the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee (Philsoc) to decide on building a new main stadium.

"Makakatipid pa tayo dahil refurbishing na lang ang kailangan. But to build a new main stadium? I really doubt it. If ever there are new facilities to be built, maybe it would be a swimming complex," he said.

Manila has the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex to speak of in as much as the existence of sports facilities is concerned. A facelift is all that’s needed for it to host events like athletics, swimming, tennis, basketball or volleyball.

But even if Manila gets the Philsoc nod, at least two other cities or provinces can still be part of the games as remote hubs that can host five sports each.

The same format was applied during the 2001 Kuala Lumpur SEAG with the main hub in Kuala Lumpur, which hosted at least 20 sports. Johore Baru (400 kms away from KL) and Penang hosted five sports each. The same format will be used in the Vietnam Games this December with events to be held in Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi.