If all goes according to plan, the newly-formed United Polo Players Association (UPPA) will deliver the Philippines at least three gold medals in the South East Asian Games which the country will be hosting late next year.
“We vowed to give three or four gold medals in our sport. That’s our mission, but if we can add three more events, then we can win at least four to six golds,” said UPPA chairman and Rep. Mikee Romero (1Pacman Party-list) after getting the nod from Ricky Vargas and Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, newly-elected president and chairman, respectively, of the Philippine Olympic Committee, to stage the event that will be participated in by several rich and famous of the region, including the royalties of Brunei.
Romero said their biggest challenge is where the game will be held.
UPPA is headed by Coco Garcia, son of former Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richie Garcia, with Hollywood film producer Jun Juban as secretary-general, Tonio Veloso as executive-general and Jun Eusebio as vice chairman.
For the event to push through, Juban said they need to rehabilitate the Clark Air Base and Bulacan polo fields, put up horse stables that can accommodate at least 200 horses, and build an indoor polo arena in Clark, all to the cost of P50 million.