PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino on Thursday said the country has earned the right to host the 2033 Southeast Asian Games, or 14 years after the country successful hosted the biennial meet.
“We offered a bid to host anew in 2033 and the council unanimously approved,” said Mr. Tolentino, referring to last Wednesday’s SEA Games Federation Council Meeting in Phnom Penh where next year’s 32nd edition of the games will be staged.
It would be the fifth time the country would host the SEA Games with the last in 2019 when the Filipinos ran away with the overall title with a historic harvest of 149 gold, 117 silver and 121 bronze medals.
The country also hosted it in 1981, 1991 and 2005.
After Phnom Penh, Bangkok, Thailand will host it in 2025, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2027, Singapore in 2029 and Laos in 2031.
The mayor from Tagaytay said the 2033 hosting would be officially present to Malacañang for the Philippine government’s acceptance of responsibility.
“After presenting the hosting bid to the council, and following its approval, the POC and the SEA Games Council will ask the Philippine government to issue a letter of support,” said Mr. Tolentino.
“If the government declines, the hosting chores will be offered to another country,” he added.
The Filipinos were third overall in 1981 with a 55-55-77 (gold-silver-bronze) tally, second to Indonesia by one gold in 1991 with 91-62-84, first in 2005 with 112-84-94 and again in 2019.
And there is optimism the country could replicate its dominating effort the last two hosting opportunities in 2033. — Joey Villar