A shopping mall located along Metro Manila’s busiest thoroughfare, EDSA, has been chosen as a venue for the bowling event for the 30th Southeast Asian Games.
The choice of the venue was not made because of the mall ownership is tied with the family of incumbent Sen. Cynthia Villar, explained Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, who is also the chairperson of the Philippine Organizing Committee for the SEA Games, in a GMA News report.
“They found bowling alleys in Starmall not owned by the Villars. It’s owned by Puyat Sports. At alam naman natin pagdating sa Pilipinas, Puyat Sports is one of the gold standards if not the gold standard,” he said. “Sila lang ang may 20 lanes. So it just so happens that the Puyat Sports bowling lanes is in the Villar mall,” he added.
The preparations for the SEA Games and the choice of facilities have been criticized supposedly because these were not in the best condition for the event which will start in a few days.
Cayetano, however, said some of the facilities to be used for the Games are 100% ready. The 30th SEA Games will be held from November 30 to December 11, 2019, and the opening ceremony will be staged at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan.
