Go guards SEA Games fund

Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go vowed that he would not tolerate corruption in the country’s hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

An avid sports fan, Go promised that he would conduct an inquiry should he finds out that the P6.5-billion fund that the government allotted for the hosting of the biennial meet had been mismanaged.

The prestigious 11-nation conclave has been put under the microscope after Sen. Franklin Drilon questioned the budget used for the construction of a giant cauldron. Drilon said the cauldron, which costs P55 million, is extravagant and unnecessary and could have been used to build school buildings pegged at P1 million each.

He said a senate inquiry should be called as soon as the SEA Games are over.

But Go stressed that he would not hesitate to grill those who are involved.

“If there are traces of corruption in our sports bodies, I as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports would lead its investigation,” Go said during the deliberation on the budget of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) last Tuesday.

House Speaker Alan Cayetano, however, assured Drilon that no public fund has been misappropriated and everything was done aboveboard, especially the construction of the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.

“Are we spending a lot of money? Yes. Is it excessive? No. Is it overpriced? No,” Cayetano, the chairman of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc), said as he defended how funds are being spent properly for what is projected to be the biggest SEA Games ever.

“A multi-sport event like this is a matter of national pride. It focuses on our people, it focuses on our culture, it benefits our tourism, foreign investments. Sports tourism alone is $620-billion industry which we want to tap into.”

Drilon clarified that he never said that the sports complex was “overpriced.”

But Cayetano added: “Malaysia spent P7 billion on hosting alone, P15 billion in sports development and P1.5 billion to upgrade the facilities. Our SEA Games will be the biggest in history with the most number of sports. We expect a billion viewers.”

He also explained why the cauldron, which Drilon criticized in interviews, costs P55 million.

“The cauldron is the symbol, not one of the symbols. It is the symbol of the Games, whether it’s the Olympic Games or SEA Games. It is a work of art. While some people may see a cauldron, we see a monument, we see the athletes, we see the burning flames that represent hope and the fighting spirit.”

As to Drilon’s question why Phisgoc, a foundation, is the main organizer of the SEA Games instead of a government agency, Cayetano explained that it is in accordance with the rules and common practice in organizing such international sporting events.