It’s never too early to begin preparing for an international conclave, as the Philippines jumpstarted its two-year build-up for the 10th ASEAN Para Games in January 2020 on Friday, during a federation summit with 10 other member nations of the ASEAN Para Sports Federation at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.
The assembly was led by Philippine Paralympic Committee President Michael Barredo, along with 10 other Heads of the National Paralympic Committees, with APSF President Maj. Gen. Osoth Bhavilai and International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons also present to supervise the event.
Serving as the focal point of the congress was the selection of sports to be played among the athletes with physical, vision and intellectual disabilities in the biennial event within the Southeast Asian region.
With veto power over the selection of sports as the host country, Barredo is leaning toward 16 sports like the number of events held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last year.
Malaysia conducted 16 para sports last year – boccia, chess, cerebral palsy football, football 5-A side, goalball, para archery, para athletics, para badminton, para cycling, para powerlifting, para swimming, para table tennis, sitting volleyball, tenpin bowling, wheelchair basketball, and wheelchair tennis.
These sports catapulted the 2017 host to 90 gold medals alongside 85 silvers and 83 bronzes, to finish second place behind overall champion Indonesia, which had an astounding 126-75-50 medal rush.
That is exactly what Barredo hopes will be of help for the Philippines’ cause, especially with the luxury of homecourt advantage and the maximum number of para athletes who can be fielded in as the host nation.
However, Barredo is setting his expectations low to ease the immense pressure on the national para athletes.
“Of course we want to be number one, but our goal is to be at least in the top four,” he said, penciling in a modest goal.
A top four finish would be a gradual yet big improvement for the country after jumping from 7th place in 2015 to 5th spot in 2017.
Having settled for a meager 16-17-26 output in the 2015 regional meet in Singapore, the Philippine delegation upgraded last year with a 20-20-29 medal haul, courtesy of para table tennis champion and Paralympian bronze medalist Josephine Medina alongside triple gold medalist and FIDE Master Sander Severino.
The massive New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac – which will be the home of the 29th Southeast Asian Games next year – will also serve as the main sports hub for the 10th ASEAN PARA Games in 2020.
Still under construction, the New Clark City – which contains an aquatic center designed like the London Aquatics Center and a 20,000-seater stadium that is of FIFA (International Football Federation) and IAAF (International Athletics Amateur Federation) standard – is expected to be finished just in time before the SEAG set from November 30 to June 9.
Serving as alternative options for the Philippines are the Rizal Memorial Sports Complez in Manila City and the Philsports Arena at the Ultra in Pasig City.
The 55,000-seater Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan, meanwhile is being considered for a majestic opening and closing ceremonies of the seven-day para athletes spectacle from January 18-25, 2020.
