PREPARATION of Team Philippines for the 2021 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in Vietnam later this year got a boost after three local government units (LGUs) expressed their commitments to host training “bubbles” of national athletes.
Speaking at the online Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham Tolentino announced that he had talked to leaders of Taguig City in the National Capital Region, Tagaytay in Cavite, and Sta. Rosa, Laguna, and they have agreed to come on board and support the country’s push in the 31st SEA Games.
“In line with the call to have the LGUs help in the training of our SEA Games-bound athletes by Team Philippines, I called up some local officials and so far three have committed to host bubble training in their area, namely, Tagaytay, Taguig, and Sta. Rosa,” said Mr. Tolentino, who is also a member of the House of Representatives from the eighth district of Cavite province.
The POC said Sta. Rosa has agreed to host 50 athletes in a bubble while Taguig agreed to be the training venue of volleyball and table tennis. Tagaytay, for its part, will host cycling and kickboxing.
The three LGUs have committed to shoulder the accommodation, food and the facilities for training.
Athletes are expected to go to these training bubbles beginning July until November before they participate in the SEA Games happening from Nov. 21 to Dec. 2.
Mr. Tolentino went on to say that he is still in communication with other local governments, but admitted that it would not be easy for some considering it would entail added cost for the LGUs.
For the planned training bubbles, Mr. Tolentino said the POC and the national federations of the sports to be accommodated will be coordinating with pertinent government agencies to ensure that all safety and health protocols in relation to the coronavirus are being followed and in accordance with the quarantine restrictions in effect by that time.
In the 2021 SEA Games, Team Philippines looks to become back-to-back overall champion after topping the 2019 edition of the biennial sporting meet held here with a total medal haul of 149 gold, 117 silver and 121 bronze medals. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo