Cayetano bares late addition to SEA Games venues

Show of Unity. Veronica Cruz, Vice President, Nestle Philippines-Milo; and Hon. Alan Peter Cateyano, Chairman, PHISGOC; (center) raise the SEA Games torch along with (left to right) Kiefer Ravena, MILO Champion; Lester P. Castillo, Assistant Vice President, Nestle Philippines-Milo; Ramon Fernandez, Commissioner, Philippine Sports Commission; and Milo Champions and SEA Games Athletes Alyssa Valdez and Pauline Lopez

By Ivan Saldajeno

PASAY—Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee chairman Alan Cayetano revealed that a late tweak in the official venues for the upcoming SEA Games from Nov. 30-Dec. 11 took place.

However, Cayetano, when asked by reporters on Thursday during the formal signing of Milo's gold sponsorship for the SEA Games at Conrad Manila, did not divulge which sport had the venue adjustment.

"They'll do the announcement, yung NSA," the current House of Representatives speaker said.

But he clarified, "It's an additional venue."

Cayetano then bared that logistical concerns aired by the participating teams led to the venue addition.

"They have two venues, but they're out of Metro Manila. They wanted one venue for the same sport in Metro Manila for logistic reasons," he further said, somehow giving a hint on the particular discipline that had the venue tweak.

Cayetano then reiterated that the venue problem was already solved with the addition of the new battleground.

Despite this, Cayetano still vowed that this year's SEA Games will be the best yet.

"We wanted it to be the most viewed and the biggest, so it is still our objective," he continued. "Come Nov. 30 sa opening pa lang and come Dec. 11 sa closing, we'll not only be proud na we hosted SEA Games but we'll be proud to be Filipinos."

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