INQUIRER/ MARIANNE BERMUDEZ
It’s been more than a decade since the Philippines placed in the volleyball podium of the Southeast Asian Games, but with the country hosting the 2019 edition Ramon Suzara has high hopes for the sport he helped flourish.
Suzara, who is the president of the Philippine Superliga, said both the men’s and women’s volleyball events will be played at Smart Araneta Coliseum in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games thus putting the sport under the limelight of the nation’s capital region.
“I’m happy that volleyball will be at Smart Araneta Coliseum because it’s a big venue and it’s very close to the general public for easier transportation,” said Suzara Thursday at Shangri-La Bonifacio Global City after the SEA Games Federation meeting.
“That has been the initial agreement and nothing’s final but the initial agreement is that we will put both popular sports [volleyball and basketball] in a big venue.”
Basketball, often regarded as the main sport of the Philippines, will be played at Mall of Asia Arena with volleyball, the second-most popular sport, getting Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The 2019 SEA Games will be played in three key areas in Clark Green City, Subic, and Metro Manila.
Suzara, who oversaw the Philippines’ last volleyball medal haul in 2005 when the country won bronze in both the men’s and women’s categories, expects the host team to go the distance in the event.
“The SEA Games is very important in our hearts so we should play in the finals,” said Suzara. “I’m always positive that our women’s volleyball team should play in the finals.”