page_title: 2019 Southeast Asian Games
section_title: Philippines
hierarchical_section_title: 2019 Southeast Asian Games / Host selection / Philippines
caption_attribution_description: English: Provincial Sports Coordinator and Assistant Provincial Administrator Giovanni Gulanes reveals Davao del Norte's bid to host the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in 2019 at the Kapihan sa Kapitolyo. (pioDavNor)
context_page_description: The 2019 Southeast Asian Games, officially known as the 30th Southeast Asian Games, or 2019 SEA Games and commonly known as Philippines 2019, was the 30th edition of the Southeast Asian Games, a biennial regional multi-sport event which was held in the Philippines from 30 November to 11 December 2019. However, due to a narrow calendar, some sports started before the opening ceremony as early as 24 November.
  This edition was marked by the first major decentralisation in the history of the Games, with competition venues spread in 23 cities across the country and divided into four clusters; all were located on the island of Luzon. This was the Philippines' fourth time to host the games, and its first since 2005. Previously, it had also hosted the 1981 and 1991 editions of the games. This edition was most notable for being the first edition to include esports, obstacle course race, kurash, sambo, underwater hockey, breaking, surfing, modern pentathlon, jiu-jitsu, kickboxing, and skateboarding; as well as having the highest number of sports in the history of the games, at a total of 56.
context_section_description: With Brunei's withdrawal, the Philippines had expressed its interest to host the Games Vietnam, the 2021 Southeast Asian Games host, was also offered to host this edition, but declined. On 10 July 2015, the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) announced that the Philippines will be hosting the Games. Davao City and Manila were touted as the top candidates for the main host city of the Games. Cebu City and Albay also expressed interest in hosting some events.
  On 21 July 2017, The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) addressed the POC that it is withdrawing its support for the Philippine hosting of the 2019 Games, saying that government decided to reallocate funds meant for hosting to the rehabilitation efforts of Marawi, which was left devastated following the Battle of Marawi and it was later reported that the POC's insistence on handling all matters of the hosting; finance, security and the conduct of the Games as it did for the 2005 Southeast Asian Games led to the PSC's withdrawal of support.
  However, on 16 August, the Philippines, through the then-POC president Peping Cojuangco, confirmed that the country will be hosting the 2019 SEA Games, after Cojuangco wrote to President Rodrigo Duterte and appealed for reconsideration.
  Cojuangco has stated that the Games would be held in the Central Luzon area, particularly in the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, and Zambales. He added that the Philippine Arena in the municipality of Bocaue in Bulacan province would "most likely" be used in the Games. In January 2018, during the groundbreaking of the New Clark City Sports Hub (then known as the Philippine Sports City), it was announced that the organisers will attempt to hold all events of the games outside of Manila with New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, Subic, and Bulacan as main host localities.
caption: Provincial Sports Coordinator and Assistant Provincial Administrator Giovanni Gulanes reveals Davao del Norte's bid to host the 2019 Southeast Asian Games at the Kapihan sa Kapitolyo. July 2016.
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