Philippines Will Host SEA Games 2019, Suggests Three Venues

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18 (Bernama) -- The provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga and Zambales in Central Luzon have been suggested as venues for the 2019 Philippine SEA Games. This follows the decision by the Philippines to host 30th edition of the Games after all, after shelving it earlier. The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) confirmed the country’s acceptance of hosting the 30th SEA Games at the SEA Games Federation (SEAGF) Council meeting here Friday. “The three provinces are the key areas for us, being where the former naval base (Subic Bay) and (Clark) air base are located,” POC president Jose Cojuangco Jr told reporters after the meeting chaired by SEAGF president Tunku Imran Tuanku Jaafar here Friday. Cojuangco also mentioned the possibility of establishing a new sports complex in one of the regions to be used for the Games. He said holding the SEA Games in the provinces would also avoid traffic congestion in Manila. Cojuangco hoped that the Philippine SEA Games Organising Committee chairman Alan Peter Cayetano would be able to receive the SEA Games flag during the closing of the Kuala Lumpur Games on Aug 30. “We are sure that the Philippines will deliver a good Games in 2019 like what they did in 2005. I don’t think the Marawi conflict will affect the Games… and geographically, the suggested venues are very far from the conflict zone,” said Tunku Imran, who is also Olympic Council of Malaysia president. The 29th SEA Games opens Saturday in Kuala Lumpur. -- BERNAMA