MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) Foundation, Inc., headed by House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, will remain as organizer of the country’s hosting of the biennial multi-sport event later this year.
This is despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s earlier pronouncement, barring Phisgoc from organizing SEA Games due to allegations of corruption.
READ: Duterte seen barring Cayetano’s PHISGOC from organizing SEA Games
Phisgoc supposedly entered into questionable deals, including the allegedly overpriced contract for uniforms, training gears and socks.
“Yes…Walang pagbabago,” Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman William Ramirez told reporters after a “call for unity” assembly for the 30th SEA Games in Malacañang.
In a separate interview, Senator Christopher “Bong’ Go, Duterte’s former long-time aide, explained that the government, through the PSC and Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), will also share SEA Games organization duties.
Go said the POC will handle the technical aspects of running the games while PSC will be the one in charge of releasing and managing funds.
“Sila (Phisgoc) po ‘yung organizing committee, pero POC ang magpapatakbo ng laro…they will run the games. At ang PSC naman ‘yung magrerelase ng funds,” Go said./gsg