P11-B loan for SEA Games hosting not an issue — Cayetano

TAGUIG CITY, Philippines — The country’s P11 billion loan for the hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games is not an issue, Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee Foundation Inc. chair and House Speaker Alan Cayetano said Thursday.

Opposition lawmaker and Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon earlier said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel’s “Headstart” that the government incurred an P11 billion loan from a Malaysian firm for the construction of the New Clark City sports hub in Tarlac, where most of the regional sports meet will be held from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.

READ: Drilon: SEA Games facilities built by P11-B loan from Malaysian bank

Cayetano said the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), which led the construction of the sports hub, could answer the issue.

“Ang BCDA ang makakapag-paliwanag, pero whether binayaran na natin or inutang, walang issue ‘yan and aside from walang issue ‘yan, it’s world-class, nagawa ng 18 months by very good architects,” the Taguig-Pateros representative said in an interview before President Rodrigo Duterte’s visit to this city’s wellness hub for senior citizens.

(The BCDA can explain this but whether we paid for this or we loaned, there’s no issue here, and aside from that, the sports hub is a world-class facility finished in 18 months by very good architects.)

“And you know, everyone who sees it says dapat sa lahat ng region meron tayo nun (we should have this in every region),” Cayetano added.

The congressman also castigated the opposition for questioning the projects for Filipino athletes.

“It’s double standard eh (It’s double standards). ‘Pag sila gumawa, okay lang. Pero ‘pag ang gumawa Duterte administration, mali na lang… (If it’s done by them, it’s okay. But if it’s initiated by the Duterte administration, it’s always wrong),” Cayetano said.

Drilon previously criticized the P50-million SEA Games stadium cauldron in New Clark City while former President Benigno C. Aquino III had schooled the government on budget prioritization following the backlash on the cauldron.

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Edited by JE