Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino (eighth from left, first row) gives a thumbs up sign during the SEA Games Federation Council Meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. | Photo from the POC
CEBU CITY, Philippines — As early as now, the Philippines has already announced that it will host the 2033 Southeast Asian Games.
That is according to the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino on Thursday, July 14.
Tolentino made the major announcement during the SEA Games Federation Council Meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia as the latter was preparing for its hosting next year.
“We offered a bid to host anew in 2033 and the council unanimously approved,” said Tolentino, referring to last Wednesday’s SEA Games Federation Council Meeting.
In 2019, the Philippines rolled the red carpet in hosting the biennial meet which cost the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizational Committee (Phisgoc) P6-billion for the budget’s entirety.
Despite the cost, the hosting had been a resounding success with the Philippines topping the medal tally with 149 gold medals, 117 silvers, and 121 bronze medals.
For the 2033 edition, it will be the country’s fifth hosting. Before its turn, Cambodia, Bangkok (2025), Kuala Lumpur (2027), Singapore (2029), and Laos (2031) will be hosting the SEA Games first.
The Philippines first hosted the SEA Games in 1981, then in 1991 and 2005, when it also emerged overall champion. Only Timor Leste hasn’t hosted the games.
Tolentino said that the 2033 hosting would be formally presented to Malacanang for the Philippine government’s acceptance of the responsibility.
“After presenting the hosting bid to the council, and following its approval, the POC and the SEA Games Council will ask the Philippine government to issue a letter of support,” said Tolentino, who was accompanied in Phnom Penh by deputy secretaries general Bones Floro and Carl Sambrano.
“If the government declines, the hosting chores will be offered to another country,” he said.
In the recent 31st SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam, the Philippines finished fourth in the medal tally with 52-70-104 (gold-silver-bronze), while the host country topped the meet with 205-125-116 (gold-silver-bronze) tally.
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