SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman and administrator Wilma T. Eisma announced Subic’s readiness on Monday, as she led the symbolic lighting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games cauldron here with Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) director for ceremonies and cultural events Mike Aguilar, and 2015 SEA Games triathlon gold medal winners Ma. Claire Adorna and Nikko Huelgas.
“Subic is ready for the 30th Southeast Asian Games,” Eisma declared to the cheers of participating athletes, members of the SEAG Subic Cluster, and SBMA employees.
She said the rehabilitation and preparation of the various sports venues here were completed in time for the competitions slated to be held from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.
Eisma also thanked the Phisgoc, the Philippine Sports Commission, and the national government for their support to Subic and pledged the agency’s all-out assistance in return.
“We are here to support the competing athletes, and to make sure everything will go as planned,” Eisma said. “I challenge the SBMA team to make sure that we stand strong and steadfast in the next two weeks, and I am very confident that together, we will win as one.”
Subic, which is considered the triathlon capital of the Philippines, will host 17 out of the 56 sports up for competition in the games.
According to SBMA senior deputy administrator Ramon Agregado, who is manager of the SEAG Subic Cluster, a total of eight venues were prepared for the 17 games to be held here.
The sports events to be hosted in Subic are windsurfing, canoe/kayak, traditional boat race, Dragon boat racing, beach volleyball, beach handball, muay thai, pencak silat, table tennis, sailing, sepak takraw, aquatics (open water swimming), duathlon, triathlon, modern pentathlon, chess, and rowing.
In the same occasion, Phisgoc director Mike Aguilar stressed that Subic’s partnership and support “is valuable in forging this strong and powerful bond across our region.”
“In recent weeks, we have passed on the flame from Davao to Cebu, to Pampanga. And now we are here in the Subic Bay Freeport,” Aguilar said.
“It is the hope of the [Phisgoc} that the games be an opportunity to highlight not just the growing passion, talent and skills, of every southeast Asian athlete, but also the hope and solidarity that drive every game,” he added.
The Philippines last hosted the biennial SEA Games 14 years ago, with Subic as venue for archery, canoeing, sailing and triathlon out of the 40 sports competitions held.
