Cayetano bats for increased budget for sports industry after SEA Games

House Speaker and Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee chairman Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday expressed hope that the sports industry in the country will be given more budget after the country's  first place finish in the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

"[U]song-uso sa gobyerno, sa pulitiko na sabihin priority ka, pero pagdating sa pera, sorry walang budget, but we saw what a little bit of money can do to uplift not only our athletes," Cayetano said in an ambush interview after the closing ceremony of the 30th SEA Games in Pampanga.

"Not only yung iba-ibang lugar na nagkaroon ng mga facilities katulad ng Tagaytay at saka ng Subic pero nakita mo rin yung ano, yung spirit nung nation, part ito ng nation building, part ito ng matuturo mo sa classroom ang patriotism pero dito mo matututunan," he added.

The SEA games formally concluded on Wednesday night with the Philippines winning a total of 387 medals on a 149-117-121 gold-silver-bronze tally.

"We're happy that this is the best SEA Games ever but we'll support the next, and the next, and the next na host to have an even better SEA Games," he added.

Vietnam won second place while Thailand placed third. —Joahna Lei Casilao/LDF, GMA News