The Philippine Sports Commission made sure to keep tabs on flood-hit Songkhla as some of Team Philippines’ contingent already travelled there for the Southeast Asian Games.
Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio said that the agency is keeping tabs on Filipino athletes who already flew out to Songkhla, Thailand for the 33rd Southeast Asian Games after the province was hit with floods.
Ten sports were supposed to be held in the Songkhla cluster of the SEA Games, with Bangkok and Chonburri playing host to the other events.
However, heavy flooding brought about by an intense monsoon trough affected preparations. The death toll already rose to 145.
This forced organizers to move all the events slated for Songkhla to Bangkok. Still, there were already members of the Philippine delegation in Thailand and were affected by the floods.
The Philippine delegation for Pencak Silat, in particular, were among the teams that flew in early for the multi-sport event.
Gregorio said he has been in communication with the embassy, as well as the national sports association of Pencak Silat.
“Well, we’ve been monitoring them, 'yung Pencak Silat in Songkhla. I’ve been in touch with the Ambassador. The Philippine Ambassador to Thailand, si Ambassador Millicent Paredes. We text every day. I check with Pencak, si Princess
Kiram, how are our athletes. Ganun lang talaga, di natin maiiwasan,” he said.
The PSC hosted the sendoff for the SEA Games-bound athletes on Friday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum, with the PSC and Philippine Olympic Committee announcing that it would be the country’s largest delegation to the biennial meet.
[READ: Philippines to send record-high delegation to Thailand SEA Games]
Upwards of 1,600 members of athletes, coaches, and officials are flying out to the 33rd SEA Games in a bid to compete with the region’s best.
Even as the Games hit an early snag due to the weather disturbances, Gregorio is optimistic that everything turns out well, especially with our athletes already safe and sound.
“Hopefully, all’s well that ends well. We prepare for the opening, for the competition,” he said.
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Luisa Morales is a sports writer with a special interest in promoting women’s sports.
Her coverage highlights include the UAAP, PVL, Southeast Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup. She also follows Alex Eala, the Philippine women’s national football team, and mixed martial arts.