Philippines Recommits To Hosting 2019 SEA Games After Pulling Out Last Month

The Philippines announced last Thursday that it would host the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, "just a month after pulling out citing the escalating cost of war with Islamist militants," according to the AFP. Manila last month said that it would not host the 2019 SEA Games to "focus on rebuilding Marawi, a southern city which has been ravaged by deadly battles between security forces and Islamist militants for almost three months." However, sports officials formally notified the SEA Games Federation on Friday of the country's commitment to host the '19 edition after "securing backing from President Rodrigo Duterte." Philippine Olympic Committee board member Cynthia Carrion said, "That's absolutely true. I'm 200% sure we are hosting the Games." Carrion said that POC officials met with Philippines Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and other Duterte advisers on Wednesday to "discuss funding and other matters for the 2019 SEA Games" (AFP, 8/18).