2019 SEA Games
The 2019 Southeast Asian Games, officially known as the 30th Southeast Asian Games, or the 30th SEA Games, and commonly known as Philippines 2019, were the 30th edition of the Southeast Asian Games, a biennial regional multi-sport event which was held in the Philippines from 30 November to 11 December 2019. However, due to a narrow calendar, some sports started before the opening ceremony as early as 24 November.
This edition was marked by the first major decentralization in the history of the Games, with competition venues spread in 23 cities across the country and divided into four clusters; all were located on the island of Luzon. This was the country's fourth time to host the games, and its first since 2005. Previously, it had also hosted the 1981 and 1991 editions of the games. This edition was most notable for being the first edition to include esports, obstacle course race, kurash, sambo, underwater hockey, breaking, surfing, modern pentathlon, jiu-jitsu, kickboxing, and skateboarding; as well as having the highest number of sports in the history of the Games, at a total of 56.
The hosting rights were originally awarded to Brunei in 2012, but the country pulled out days before the 2015 SEA Games due to "financial and logistical reasons."
The Philippines was previously slated to host the 2023 SEA Games but, in July 2015, it agreed to host the Games after Brunei's withdrawal. However, the Philippines' hosting was left uncertain following the withdrawal of government support two years later as it planned to use the funds intended for the games for the rehabilitation of Marawi after being occupied by ISIS supporters. Thailand and Indonesia offered to host the Games with the latter planning to reuse the venues used for the 2018 Asian Games. However, by August 16, 2017, the Philippine government reversed its withdrawal.
The host country, Philippines, emerged in the medal tally as the overall champion for the first time in 14 years, breaking its own medal count record in 2005, followed by Vietnam and Thailand. Several games and national records were broken during the games. Amidst numerous controversies and problems, the games were deemed generally successful with the rising standard of competition amongst the Southeast Asian nations, with its hosting being lauded by the Olympic Council of Asia for its facilities and hospitality. The Philippines planned to bid for the hosting rights for the 2030 Asian Games but was unable to submit the bid by the deadline.
Quah Zheng Wen of Singapore was awarded the Most Valuable Player award for male athletes, having won six golds and two silvers, while Nguyễn Thị Ánh Viên of Vietnam, with the same medal tally, was accorded MVP honors for female athletes. The fairplay award was awarded to Roger Casugay for saving a fellow competitor's life.
Host selection
As per SEA Games traditions, hosting duties are rotated among the SEA Games Federation member countries. Each country is assigned to host the event in a predetermined year, but the country can choose to withdraw or not host that edition.In July 2012, the SEAGF meeting in Myanmar confirmed that Malaysia would host the regional biennial event in 2017, should there be no other country willing to bid. Olympic Council of Malaysia secretary general Sieh Kok Chi, who attended the meeting, said that Myanmar would host the Games in 2013, followed by Singapore in 2015 and Brunei in 2017. However, the sultanate gave up hosting the Games in 2017, in exchange for having more time to organize the 2019 edition. Brunei hosted the Games only once in 1999 and planned to upgrade its sports facilities and build a new national stadium in Salambigar. However, on June 4, 2015, Brunei withdrew its hosting rights at the meeting in Singapore after the said country's Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports had failed to give support for the Games due to the lack of sporting facilities, accommodation, and preparation of their athletes.
Philippines
With Brunei's withdrawal, the Philippines had expressed its interest to host the Games Vietnam, the 2021 Southeast Asian Games host, was also offered to host this edition, but declined. On July 10, 2015, the Philippine Olympic Committee announced that the Philippines will be hosting the Games. Davao City and Manila were touted as the top candidates for the main host city of the Games. Cebu City and Albay also expressed interest in hosting some events.On July 21, 2017, The Philippine Sports Commission addressed the POC that it is withdrawing its support for the Philippine hosting of the 2019 Games, saying that government decided to reallocate funds meant for hosting to the rehabilitation efforts of Marawi, which was left devastated following the Battle of Marawi and it was later reported that the POC's insistence on handling all matters of the hosting; finance, security and the conduct of the Games as it did for the 2005 SEA Games led to the PSC's withdrawal of support.
However, in August 2017, the Philippines, through the then-POC president Peping Cojuangco, confirmed that the country would pursue hosting the 2019 SEA Games, after Cojuangco wrote to then-President Rodrigo Duterte and appealed for reconsideration.
Cojuangco has stated that the Games would be mainly held in the Central Luzon area, particularly in the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, and Zambales. He added that the Philippine Arena in the municipality of Bocaue in Bulacan province would "most likely" be used in the Games. In January 2018, during the groundbreaking of the New Clark City Sports Hub, it was announced that the organizers will attempt to hold all events of the games outside of Manila with New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, Subic, and Bulacan as main host localities.
Handover ceremony
During the closing ceremony of the 2017 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, the symbolic SEA Games Federation council flag was handed over by outgoing Malaysian Olympic Committee president HRH Tunku Tan Sri Imran to then-Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose "Peping" Cojuangco, who in turn passed the flag to then-Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, who will be the Chairman of organizing committee for 2019 games.In contrast of other closing ceremonies held throughout the SEA Games, only a discrete video promoting tourism in the Philippines was presented instead of a grand presentation for the next host country. One of the reasons given by the Philippine Olympic Committee is the cost of holding a handover ceremony, at. Another reason is to give focus on the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Malaysian federation.
Development and preparations
Unlike the 2005 Games, the 2019 SEA Games adopted a different organizing structure for the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee. According to Philippine Sports Commission chairman William Ramirez, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano would be appointed as the organizing committee chairman, instead of the Philippine Olympic Committee president who presumed the role in 2005. Senator Migz Zubiri was initially the head of the organizing committee before being replaced by Cayetano.At least three meetings were held for the preparation of the Games. The first meeting was held in Shangri-la Hotel at the Fort on May 16 and 17, 2018. Another meeting was held on November 23 and 24, 2018.
Officials of National Sports Associations of the Philippines were designated as competition managers and were tasked to deal with local arrangements concerning their sport including logistics, venues and equipment.
Costs
The budget for the games is at least . were provided by the government, while the rest were secured by PHISGOC from sponsorships. The government funds were allocated to the Philippine Sports Commission with from the funds approved by the Philippine Congress and the remainder derived from augmentation fund approved by then-President Rodrigo Duterte. Duterte approved the additional funds by May 2019.Ticketing
The organizers entered negotiations with SM Tickets for ticketing systems. All tickets for all events were originally planned to cost a fee, with sports determined to be less popular by the organizers, to have a minimal fee. On October 3, 2019, tickets for the opening ceremony and select events were made on available on all SM Tickets branches and online. However, in a few days leading to the opening ceremony, there were clamors to make the tickets free to the general public. Public figures and groups, such as the Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas President Monico Puentevella and the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines appealed to then-President Rodrigo Duterte to make the tickets free. Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo suggested the organizers to give the tickets free or charge tickets at a discounted price for students.On November 29, 2019, upon instructions of then-President Duterte, tickets were made available for free for all sporting events, except basketball, football and volleyball, which were sold out. Tickets were also made available for free for the closing ceremony, with organizers giving 10,000 tickets to SM Tickets for distribution and thousands of other tickets to local government units.
Transportation
Organizers coordinated with the Department of Transportation regarding logistics for the Games including the possible closure of the North Luzon Expressway to the public for 12 hours before the opening ceremony.362 public buses, 162 sedans and 100 VIP cars, were planned to be bought and 268 vans were to be rented for use. There were also three self-driving electric vehicles provided by American firm Connected Autonomous Shared Transportation for transportation of passengers in New Clark City at no cost to the government.