CAPAS, Tarlac — The still-torise New Clark City has literally gained concrete foothold in being centerpiece of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games as Philippine Olympics Committee (POC) and other officials laid recently the first concrete foundation from where will rise ambitious sports structures for the competitions slated in either November or December next year.
POC officials, headed by secretary general Patrick “Pato” Gregorio, as well as officials from the Philippine Sports Commission, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and other agencies, were at the “first concrete pouring ceremony” at the site where the BCDA also plans to build a new government center.
Over a month ago, Foreign Affairs Sec. Alan Peter Cayetano, who also chairs the 2019 SEA Games Organizing Committee, graced the groundbreaking for the New Clark City.
Referring to the SEA Games, Cayetano said “We will try to hold everything outside Metro Manila. We will try.”
The country’s hosting of the 2019 SEA Games comes into play as the New Clark City will have its own Sports City, featuring a modern 20,000-seat stadium that can host track and field events and a 2,000-seat aquatic center.
Cayetano said he was given the assurance that the sports facilities, which will include 1,000 dormitory-type rooms of different specs, will be finished at least three months before the SEA Games.
The New Clark City project, which has a price tag of P13.6 billion, will be a massive haven for business, education, lifestyle, industries, nature and sports, all part of President Duterte’s “Build, Build, Build” program.
