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PHISGOC exec hopes ‘unity meeting’ will bring positive results

By Jelly Musico

July 23, 2019, 9:56 pm

<p>PHISGOC chief executive officer Ramon Suzara</p>

PHISGOC chief executive officer Ramon Suzara

 

MANILA – An official of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) is hoping that a unity meeting set to be held on Wednesday in Malacañang will stop negative publicity that affects the country’s preparation for the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

“This is called a unity meeting. So hopefully after tomorrow, everything should be positive,” said PHISGOC chief executive officer Ramon Suzara in a media interview after the 30th SEA Games broadcast and media conference at Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City on Tuesday.

Suzara said PHISGOC officials, including its chairman and newly-elected House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano along with officials of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) will attend the meeting set at 10 a.m. at the Heroes Hall of Malacañan Palace.

“It was Executive Secretary (Salvador) Medialdea who called for the unity meeting,” Suzara said.

He said leaders of the national sports association (NSAs) and selected athletes will join the unity meeting for the SEA Games which the country will host for the fourth time from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11 this year.

Aside from Medialdea, former Special Assistant to the President (SAP) and now Senator Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go will attend and deliver a message to the sports officials and athletes.

PSC chairman and chef de mission of Team Philippines William Ramirez earlier announced the unity meeting which aims to form a cohesive team for the country’s final push in the SEA Games preparation.

''If we want to win as one, we should embrace a united front. One team, one goal. The country should come together and be united in supporting this government effort,'' Ramirez said in a statement.

Ramirez has expressed high hopes that the meeting will encourage officials of the PHISGOC, POC and the PSC to move in one direction with four months to go before the biggest multi-sports event in the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) region unfolds.

He assured that all the dealings that the PHISGOC and the POC will enter with the government through the PSC will be transparent and above board.

Meanwhile, Suzara assured that the country’s preparation and hosting of the SEA Games will be corruption-free.

“There is no corruption. All the budget is with PSC and DBM (Department of Budget Management). Not a single centavo is with PHISGOC. We are just running the games,” Suzara said.

“Speaker Cayetano is so strict knowing his track record. He wants everything by regulation. He wants to make sure that no government money will be spent unwisely,” he added.

He branded the allegations of corruption as “negative publicity” being used by some individuals to derail the country’s preparations for SEA Games. (PNA)

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