THE government has admitted that there have been lapses in the preparations of the 30th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games).
“An array of criticisms has been made on how Phisgoc (Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee) has handled the logistics of this momentous event, and these should be accepted and considered in order to rectify the errors it has committed. The critics have a point. There is indeed something wrong with the preparations,” lawyer Salvador Panelo, chief presidential legal counsel and presidential spokesperson, said in a statement.
Just weeks before the 30th SEA Games, the organizers were criticized for some lapses in the logistics aspects of the games and its preparations for it. On social media, many of these criticisms went viral with many of the major news outfits reporting about these.
However, just days later, organizers, local government units, and partners were able to clarify things and provide updates on what is actually going on with the preparations of SEA Games. Some government agencies and private partners have also stepped up to help in the organization. For example, Department of Tourism has stepped in to help in the reception and billeting.
We are also now seeing photos of better welcome signs and reception for participating athletes.
Despite other hiccups still surfacing, we have to commend the organizing committee, government, and others involved in the SEA Games for turning things around and stepping up to the occasion.
SEA Games being a major international sporting event in this side of the globe problems are bound to happen. But that does not mean that we cannot celebrate the good points that the country is doing to host the games.
However, with the taxpayers’ money on the line, we cannot just let the initial fiasco go. Someone has to take responsibility for the initial trouble that went on prior to the start of the games.
“The Palace notes that the Senate intends to conduct an inquiry on the issues which hounded the organization of the event. We welcome such initiative. The Office of the President will also be conducting a separate probe on the aberrations and irregularities in the administration of our country’s hosting of the SEA Games immediately after the games,” Panelo said.
We hope that the government will be unbiased with the probe that it will conduct and there will be no stones left unturned. We also hope that it will be transparent to the Filipino people when conducting the probe.
For now, we will support our athletes at the fullest. We wish them all the best in the 30th SEA Games.