TYPHOON PREPARATION. Tent covers of an event platform outside the World Trade Center in Pasay City were removed in anticipation of possible typhoon onslaught. World Trade Center hosts wushu, fencing and Karatedo competitions of the ongoing 30th Southeast Asian Games. (PNA photo by Jelly Musico)
MANILA — In response to the government’s “cancelation protocol”, the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) on Monday revised the schedules of at least 14 outdoor sports competitions of the ongoing 30th Southeast Asian Games due to Typhoon Tisoy.
In a media advisory on Tuesday, the Phisgoc named the affected sports namely beach volleyball, canoe/kayak/traditional boat races, muay, pencak silat, sailing/windsurfing, triathlon/duathlon, modern pentathlon, surfing, sepak takraw, underwater hockey, skateboard, polo, shooting, and petangue.
Meanwhile, the technical officials of the wakeboarding, golf, and aquatics have yet to decide whether to postpone their competitions to a later date.
“As of today (Dec. 3), at 11 a.m., we would like to inform the public of some changes in the schedules of sports competitions of the 30th SEA Games due to the landfall of Typhoon Tisoy in the country,” the Phisgoc statement read.
“We are prepared to take the necessary precautionary measures to secure the safety of all of our guests and athletes. Trust that we have storm-proofed the Games, with several alternate plans queued to ensure that this biennial meet doesn’t go beyond its scheduled finish on December 11,” it added.
In a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Phisgoc chief operating officer Ramon Suzara said three football matches set to be held Tuesday night be left to the discretion of the technical officials.
“As of now, football is okay. There is no cancellation. As long as there are no thunderstorms, football can play even with the rains and also as long as the field is not flooded,” he said.
Meanwhile, Suzara said the Phisgoc accommodation department is ready to assist foreign participants if their flights going back home will be canceled due to the typhoon.
“The bulk of the athletes are from Indonesia who will be leaving tonight,” he said, referring to the competitors in wushu, kurash, cycling and 3×3 basketball who have already competed in their respective events.
He also assured arriving foreign athletes who will be affected by the cancellation of flights that their games will not be forfeited.
“They will not be forfeited because the technical delegates are aware of this weather condition,” Suzara said.
Suazara reiterated there is no need to extend the SEA Games beyond the December 11, saying all contingencies measures have been done to adjust the schedules of the games.
“If there is a need to play until midnight like what was being done in the Olympic Games, we can do it. But definitely, there is no extension,” he said.
During the 44th Cabinet meeting in Malacañang on Monday night, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Executive Director and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Administrator Ricardo Jalad said all events in the SEA Games will follow a “cancellation protocol” to brace for the impact of Tisoy (international name Kammuri).
Citing Jalad, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said: “Outdoor activities shall be suspended when Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal (TCWS) No. 1 is raised while all games shall be suspended when TCWS No. 2 is hoisted” to ensure the safety of athletes and supporters”.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) placed Albay, Camarines Norte, Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands, Romblon, the southern portion of Quezon, Oriental and Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Cavite, Batangas and Laguna under Signal No. 3. Metro Manila, as well as Tarlac and Pampanga, are now under Signal No. 2.
The SEA Games are being held in Metro Manila; Subic, Zambales; New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac; and, other parts of Southern and Central Luzon.
The Philippines is hosting the SEA Games for the fourth time. It also hosted the 1981, 1991 and 2005 editions of the biennial multi-sport event involving 11 participating countries — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.
The host country opened its bid to duplicate its 2005 SEA Games overall title on a high note, winning 41 of the 89 gold medals after two days of action. (PNA)
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