P46M for opening, closing?

The Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee will trim down the P46 million budget earlier proposed for the opening and closing ceremonies of next month’s SEA Games.

Philsoc secretary-general Steve Hontiveros yesterday said the amount might be too much for both ceremonies to be held at the Quirino Grandstand on Nov. 27 and Dec. 5, respectively.

"Definitely we will not be spending that much," said Hontiveros.

But asked how much Philsoc intends to slice off the budget, the president of the International Bowling Federation said: "I don’t know yet."

President Arroyo had previously advised Philsoc to hold the opening and closing ceremonies under "festive but austere" conditions, and spending P46 million is not what the Chief Executive wanted.

Trimming down the expenses for the opening and closing ceremonies is also a must since Philsoc is having difficulty raising the P1 billion it said would be needed to organize and run the Games.

Philsoc has failed to draw all its intended sponsors for the Games. As it is, only two firms, Globe and PLDT, have availed of the "gold" package worth P100 million.

The Lucio Tan Group has thrown in P50 million which is worth the "silver" while a couple more have availed of the "bronze" worth P30 million or less.

Meanwhile, the SEA Games streamers that were put up along Roxas Blvd. near the coastal road were removed after some miscommunication with Philsoc officials and Pasay City Mayor Peewee Trinidad.

But everything has been ironed out, according to Hontiveros, who expects the streamers, courtesy of Globe, to be back on the streets as soon as possible.

Recently, the giant SEA Games billboard that stood at the corner of Roxas Blvd. and EDSA was also removed due to Philsoc’s failure to reimburse the expenses of the "private individual" who placed the advertisement.