According to PHISGOC Chief Operating Officer (COO) Ramon ‘Tats’ Suzara, the committee is searching for volunteers above 18 years old who will be able to lend a helping hand for the 56 sports and 529 events happening in Metro Manila, Subic, Bulacan, Tarlac, La Union, Taytay, and Batangas. He explained, “This is a part of the whole picture of organizing and hosting the Games. We have targeted 12,000 volunteers to cater to Clark, Subic, Metro Manila and other areas in Southern Luzon. Maybe we can overpass our target. Maybe to 13,000 to 15,000 depending on the needs that we have.”
Suzara also explains that there has been a lot of positive response when it comes to interest in volunteering, yet most of the number will be students and teachers from schools with the National Youth Commission. He added, “Even foreign volunteers are sending us emails, we need to find a way to accept them. Maybe around 50 or a 100.” A budget of around P100 million to P150 million will be allocated for the volunteer program, but the entire P5 billion budget from the national government has yet to be signed by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.
PHISGOC chairman Allan Peter Cayetano and Senator Pia Cayetano were also present at the event, launching the Philippine Sports Clubs officials with Chief of Mission Monsour del Rosario. They added that celebrities and athletes will be present as volunteers as well, like former Ateneo Lady Eagle Alyssa Valdez and partner Kiefer Ravena, who won three gold medals in the past SEA Games for the Philippine national basketball team.