Cebu’s SEA Games bid

Cebu will be hosting the competitions in dancesport, karatedo, judo, sepak takraw, pencak silat and possibly chess in the 2005 Southeast Asian Games.

Quietly, the hosts are laying down the groundwork for what could be the city’s biggest sports showcase in years, and the first time the SEA Games will hold events in the Queen City of the South.

"(Philippine Olympic Committee president) Cito Dayrit asked us to talk to the national sports associations involved to host some events here," revealed Jonathan Guardo, chairman of the Cebu City Sports Commission. "They came over to inspect the possible venues, and they seemed okay with it. All that remains now is for us to sign the memorandum of agreement."

Having international multi-sport events is nothing new to international competition. Starting the first time the Olympic Games were held in Australia, venues had to be divided because of availability of facilities and strict quarantine regulations, particularly in the equestrian events.

Since then, it has been commonplace for events to be farmed out to more than one location. And Cebu City is the first city in the Philippines to have its own sports commission, whose constitution and by-laws has been borrowed and copied by other towns and cities in the country.

"We’re very excited about this development, and we’re already preparing for how we’re going to welcome our visitors and other athletes here," says Edward Hayco, who runs the extremely accomplished Cebu Dancesport, which won a majority of the gold medals at the last ranking competition of the Dancesport Council of the Philippines. "This is a great honor for Cebu."

The opportunity to stage various events of the biennial meet will also divert attention away from decrepit facilities in Manila, where the 1991 SEA Games were held. Also, it will give the visitors and competitors an opportunity to experience more of Philippine culture.

"Once we’ve signed the MOAs, we need to talk to all the private groups here in Cebu: the Cebu businessmen’s groups, Jaycees, Rotary, Cebu Visitors’ and Conventions Bureau, and so on," declares Guardo. "That way, the burden will be spread out, and won’t be too great for us."

This early, some of the NSA’s involved are already bent on holding major events in Cebu as a dry run to the SEA Games. Cebu province has many world-class sports and convention centers which may house the competitions and athletes, as well. Cebu Dancesport, for its part, is already courting the Waterfront Hotel group for its competition.

"The judo association wants us to prepare to host the Pan-Pacific Judo Championships," admits Guardo. "It was supposed to be held in Manila in September, but they want us to do it so we can see how this could be in the SEA Games."

The 2005 edition will also mark the first time that Cebu will jointly host an event of this magnitude. The province has had its fair share of international events, among them the signature Cebu Tri-Cities Marathon, and has very active sports media groups in the form of the SCOOP Cebu and Sportswriters Association of Cebu (SAG). SAG even had its own annual awards three months ago, celebrating the outstanding achievements of Cebuano athletes who have set international standards or represented the country overseas.

"We also want to show visitors how beautiful our country is," Hayco adds. "Of course, we will compete with them to the best of our abilities, and we will make sure the Philippines does well in dancesport. But we will also make our fellow athletes feel at home here. For the first time, we have been given the chance to do it."

For many years, Cebuanos have been aching for a chance to show up their countrymen in Luzon, particularly in sports. Now, they will finally get their chance. And, regardless how well either side of the nation success next November, the winner will still be the Philippines.

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