Local athletes who are members of the national team have started their serious training for the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam this May.
“We already started our official training just this Wednesday in BSU (Benguet State University),” said IFMA waikru and Mai Muay queen Islay Erika Bomogao as she will be among the 584 athletes who will be joined by 161 official delegation to the 31st SEAG.
The teenaged daughter of Baguio councilor Benny Bomogao added that they could either train in Russia or Thailand if circumstances are okay.
“If PSC (Philippine Sports Commission) approves and circumstances are good, we will have our training possibly in Russia or Thailand,” she added.
“I have read in the PSC news that wushu will start its training at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex any time soon,” said 30th SEAG gold medalist for wushu sanda Divine Wally.
“Hoping next month. Pero tuloy pa rin self-training at the oval (We still continue with our self-training at the oval),” said veteran wushu taolu player Daniel Parantac.
The figures were the numbers the Philippjne Olympic Committee and PSC last Thursday.
“We understand the situation because of the budgetary constraint in the PSC, so we have to employ belt-tightening measures as regards to officials and equipment,” POC president and Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said in a statement after Thursday’s meeting with PSC commissioner and SEAG chef de mission Ramon Fernandez.
However, 80 athletes from various national sports associations (NSAs) are on appeal for the delegation as falling under the Group B category, Tolentino said. He added that these athletes if they go to Hanoi will have their travel expenses shouldered by their NSAs.
Fernandez said the exact budget for the SEAG have to be determined yet although it could be around PhP200 million during the meeting attended also by deputy chiefs of mission Pearl Managuelod and Carl Sambrano.