The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is working on getting back government-owned sports venues for future training of national athletes gearing up for the 31st Vietnam Southeast Asian Games set late this year.
Reports have it that PSC Commissioner Mon Fernandez, who is also the country’s chief of mission to the SEAG, met with Sec. Vince Dizon, Deputy Chief Implementer of the National Action Plan Against COVID-19, to follow up on their request to the Inter-Agency Task Force if they could already use the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila, the Philsports Complex in Pasig City and the Teacher’s Training Camp in Baguio for athletes’ training.
The said venues have been utilized as temporary medical facilities during the pandemic.
The PSC is hoping that athletes could start training under a bubble-type setting as early as April in time for the SEAG scheduled Nov. 21 to Dec. 2.
They are still waiting for the IATF approval.
At the moment, only Olympic qualifiers and aspirants are allowed to train with a group of athletes from taekwondo, karatedo and boxing already inside Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna since January.
This year’s SEAG will initially feature 40 sports with the PH team hoping to retain its overall championship.
At the previous SEAG that the country hosted in 2019, the Filipinos won a record of 149 gold, 117 silver and 121 bronze medals in 56 sports for the overall title.