MANILA, Philippines – Classes may be suspended in some areas in the country where sports competition of the 30th Southeast Asian Games will be held.

So said Speaker Allan Peter Cayetano, chairman of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Committee (PHISGOC) as the committee is studying the possibility of suspending classes throughout the duration of the sports events.

This will be done in areas where organizers expect heavy traffic to lessen inconvenience impact on the part of students and the public Cayetano said.

“We are still studying the areas, and we will soon submit our recommendation to Malacañang,” Cayetano said in an online media during interview.

“There is traffic everywhere, but we will try to minimize that by housing thousands of athletes near the venues,” he added.

Cayetano said that the organizers will ensure a smooth conduct of the games in a 12-day massive event where 12,000 athletes and coaches, 1000 international media practitioners and 9,000 volunteers are expected to participate.

Most of the sports event during the regional meet will be held at New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, where the government is in the final stages finishing the P13-billion sports complex with complete facilities, including housing for athletes, coaches, and other staff.

Other sports competition will be held in Subic, Metro Manila and Tagaytay City.

However, he said the Philippine Sports Commission is still completing renovations on some venues in Metro Manila.

Cayetano sees the biennial sports event as an opportunity for economic and sectoral developments since the number of spectators is projected to reach one billion.

The regional sports competition will take place between Nov. 30 and Dec. 11. (Lloyd Tagbago/IAMIGO/CNS)