Hosts finalizing preparations as 7th BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games comes near

General Santos City- The Philippine Sports Commission, Mindanao Development Authority, and SocSarGen LGU’s are finalizing their preparations as  hosts for the 7^th BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games that will be participated in by about 400 participants coming from different “focus areas” of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Philippines.

 “Hopefully by December 1-7 tapos na ang finishing touches”, said Gerardo Ramon Cesar B. Reynaldo, a representative from MinDA, during a press conference on Thursday, as this event will be conducted on December 8-11, 2012.

Most of the delegates will be billeted in the hotels of General Santos City according to Reynaldo. The security plan was already in place even during the time of former City S/Supt. Cedrick Train.

The participants will compete on Badminton, Lawn Tennis, Table Tennis, Sepak Takraw, and Athletics which shall be held in Gensan; and Swimming and Penchak Silat which shall be held in South Cotabato Sports and Cultural Center, Koranadal City. Penchak Silat is a kind of martial arts created in Indonesia. It will not be an actual fight, but just an exhibition. As this is a friendship game, contact sports like Basketball and Boxing, were not included.

The VIP’s from participating countries will also have their golf friendship game in Kalsangi Golf Course, Polomolok.

In addition, parallel sideshows such as cultural presentations and trade exhibits will be shown in Gensan SM City to promote tourism, culture, and investments.

In January this year, a BIMP-EAGA Friendship run was held in the City to kick-start this December event.

This event’s theme is “Developing a Culture of Peace, Friendship, and Economy through Sports.”

BIMP-EAGA refers to Brunei Darussalam Indonesia Malaysia Philippines- East Asia Growth Area. Launched on March 24, 2994, it is a strategic economic cooperation which aims to accelerate development in trade, tourism, and investment in four countries’ focus areas. These areas include the Sultanate of Brunei Darussalam, provinces in Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua in Eastern Indonesia, states of Sabah, and Sarawak, and the Federal Territory of Labuan in Malaysia; and Mindanao and Palawan. (MinDA)