Vargas confident PH will make history in hosting of SEA Games

Philippine Olympic Committee president Ricky Vargas said on Wednesday that the 30th Southeast Asian Games would go down in history as the biggest edition of the 11-nation meet ever—for good reason.

“When you go to the other SEA Games, [the hosts] normally remove events where the probability of [them] winning a gold medal is low,” said Vargas.

“Many countries are saying that this is the first time that this inclusiveness and uniqueness in the SEA Games is being felt by the SEAG members,” added Vargas.

He pointed out that with the 520 events in 56 sports, even a small delegation such as Timor Leste would grab its share of gold medals.

“It’s going to be a fiesta where everybody will have a chance to show their best,” said Vargas, who cochairs the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) with Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chair Butch Ramirez and former Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano.

“Essentially this is why it will go down in history of sports as the SEA Games that will develop friendship, inclusiveness and camaraderie,” added Vargas.

And just like any grand endeavor, the cost of hosting will definitely skyrocket as the Phisgoc earmarked P7.5 billion for the preparation and operations of the Games on Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.

With the PSC as disbursing body of the funds coming from the government, Ramirez said he had sought guidance from the Commission on Audit and would strictly follow government accounting rules.

“If there’s a budget proposal without details of the expenses, I will not sign,” said Ramirez, the most seasoned official in the organizing committee after serving as the country’s chef de mission in the 2005 Manila SEA Games while also serving as PSC chair.