MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday apologized for the mishaps experienced by delegates during the days leading up to the 30th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games).
“I’m really apologizing for the country. But then again I said they should know while they are still here that government is not happy with it and that their president, the president of the country where they are playing has ordered for an investigation,” Duterte said in an interview with CNN Philippines.
“That at least would assuage a little bit of their sama ng loob (bad feelings)… It does, it will cost us because as I said when they go back, they would start to talk about it,” he added.
Photos of the Cambodian football team sleeping on the floor circulated on social media, with the hotel management explaining that the team arrived early and that the hotel was still fully occupied upon their arrival.
Food issues were also reported including alleged insufficiency in halal food for athletes.
Photos of unfinished facilities, such as the press center at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, also went viral which drew the ire of netizens and several government officials.
These matters, Duterte said, should not be minimized.
“You cannot just cast away all those, the discomfort, the sufferings of the athletes sa—sleeping on the floors, waiting for so many hours. Getting hungry… this might really be a small matter but you just cannot flick your fingers, “Ah maliit yan (Ah that’s trivial),” Duterte said.
“To the countries that sent them here, it’s a big deal,” he added.
Duterte said the organizing team had time to talk about what needs to be settled long before the SEA Games.
“Alam mo kasi (You know) when you are running a big event, you have to be structural. And that is why I said it could have been better run by the military,” Duterte said.
Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) Foundation Inc., Chairman Alan Peter Cayetano has apologized for the inconveniences experienced by the delegates.