Close to 15,000 policemen will be deployed to provide security for sports events of the 30th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) that will be held in Metro Manila, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said on Sunday.
Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, chief of NCRPO, said the decision to deploy 14,800 cops was made after learning from the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) that 12 sports venues in Metro Manila will host 22 out of the SEA Games’ 56 sports disciplines.
“Venues are all ready for the 30th SEA Games as per the results of the Security and Survey Inspection (SSI) conducted by respective chiefs of police and station commanders last August 19 to 23 (2019),” Eleazar informed the Philippine News Agency.
Aside from Metro Manila, the SEA Games venues are Laguna, Bulacan, Tagaytay, Subic, and New Clark City sports complex in Capas, Tarlac.
According to Phisgoc, over 10,000 athletes from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Timor Leste, Singapore and Vietnam will participate in 543 sports events.
The Philippines will host for the fourth time the SEA Games from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11 this year.
The country won its first ever SEA Games overall championship in 2005, the last time it hosted the biennial meet. The Philippines also hosted the 1981 and 1991 editions. (PNA)