A 15-meter tall countdown clock was constructed at the Bayanihan Park in Clark to mark the event. The said structure consists of eleven circles representing the eleven countries of Southeast Asia. These include the Philippines, Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The colors incorporated in the countdown clock represent the different colors of the country’s flag. One of the circles with diameter of 3.7 meters will be fitted with an LED display board back to back to show the clock and videos particularly of the SEA Games.
The one-year clock was tuned on just as the official logo was lit up for the first time before some 400 spectators. Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee Chairman Alan Peter Cayetano presided over the countdown launch along with Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez, Philippine Olympic Committee President Ricky Vargas and Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.
“Southeast Asia is more than a community of nations. It is the spirit of people that made this games possible,” Cayetano addressed the hundreds of guests which was composed of dignitaries and the chef de missions of the 11 member-countries.
“We should value the individuals, especially the athletes, that sacrificed everything for the success of this event,” the former senator added.
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chairman Wilma Eisma and Bases Conversion and Development Authority President Vince Dizon, two key partners of the hosting of the biennial event, were also present in the ceremony.
The 30th staging of the Games promises to be the biggest ever with 56 sports and 529 events at stake.
Making the Games more interesting is the debut of E-sports which will be counted as a medal event.
The 9,500-hectare New Clark City, which serves as the main hub with its facilities that include the athletics stadium and aquatics center, is being constructed by the BCDA with a completion target in September next year.
Aside from the sports center in Capas, Tarlac, the games will be played in Subic, Manila and Tagaytay/Batangas.
Image credits: Nonie Reyes