POC, PSC mull 16 sports for 2013 Asiad Centennial

Manila, Philippines - Filipino sports officials are looking at an initial list of 16 sports that will make up the calendar of the Asian Games Centennial celebrations that the country will be hosting in 2013 even as they proposed to spread out the action to several provinces.

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC)president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. said the committee formed to tackle the hosting will recommend aquatics, athletics, tennis, golf (with junior golf), basketball, taekwondo, badminton, boxing, wushu, dancesport, triathlon, beach volleyball, football, billiards and figure skating as the Games’ featured sports.

“What we’re looking at here are sports where maging contenders man lang tayo. Mahirap yung mag-host tayo tapos wala namang makikitang Pilipino na lumalaban (We’re looking at sports where we have a realistic shot at the medals),” Cojuangco said during Thursday’s POC-PSC Radio Forum.

The initial roster, offered Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richie Garcia, also represents sports played in the Olympic Council of Asia’s various tournaments like the Asian Games, the Asian Winter Games, Asian Beach Games, Asian Martial Arts Games, Asian Indoor Games, and Asian Youth Games.

The OCA last week awarded the 100th year celebration’s hosting rights to the Philippines, which also played host to the very first multi-nation athletic competition in Asia, the Oriental Olympics in 1913.

Garcia said they’re also considering giving provinces outside Metro Manila a piece of the action in the festivities, which will be attended by 45 member nations and also feature cultural shows.

“We’ll propose to OCA if we can spread out the games para makasama naman yung mga kababayan natin sa probinsya and not just hold it in one place (We’ll propose to spread out the events to the provinces to let them join the festivities),” said Garcia.

The OCA has promised to shoulder 30 percent of the financial requirement and pass on its sponsors to the POC to help defray the cost. The Philippine government and the private sector will cover the rest.

“Definitely, the government will play an important role in this hosting. But we have to clarify first how much the OCA will chip in and how much the government will give before we talk to the Office of the President and concerned departments,” Garcia said.