BACOLOD City is being eyed as one of the venues of the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games to be hosted by the Philippines.

Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) party-list Representative Mark Sambar, who met with Mayor Evelio Leonardia at the Bacolod Government Center Wednesday, December 27, said he will lobby for the city’s inclusion in the hosting.

Sambar, a member of the organizing committee, said he has met with Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, who chairs the body.

He said the areas of Clark and Manila were initially identified to host some of the sporting events.

“We have not yet discussed the areas in the provinces to be one of the venues, but I am sure Bacolod can still be included because of its history in hosting the SEA Games,” he said.

Bacolod was one of the hosts of the 2005 SEA Games.

“It is my pleasure to promote Bacolod as one of the cities for hosting a certain event for SEA Games because we need more help from the provinces,” Sambar said.

He said that he will present to Cayetano the interest of Bacolod to host the football matches.

Leonardia said that when Senator Miguel Zubiri was first designated as chairman of the 2019 SEA Ggames organizing committee, he had proposed to him Bacolod’s interest to host the football games.

The mayor said that since Zubiri has been replaced by Cayetano, he requested Sambar to facilitate or lobby for Bacolod.