MANILA (UPDATE) —An Olympic Council of Asia official urged the Philippines to bid to host the 2030 Asian Games, the Southeast Asian Games lead organizer said Monday.

According to Ramon Suzara, chief operating officer of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC), council vice-president Wei Jizhong praised the New Clark City athletics and aquatics facilities in Capas town, Tarlac.

"Noong nakita niya ’yung Clark, sabi niya ang ibang bansa walang ganu’n. Sinabihan kami na, 'Why not bid for 2030 for that kind of facility?'" he told reporters.

"Walang masama sumubok 10 years from now."

'BIGGER-SCALE GAMES'

Wei, in a joint press conference with Suzara and other PHISGOC officials, also praised the SEA Games' opening ceremonies, and the Filipinos' commitment to take part in the international sporting event,.

"Government plays a leading role, social responsibility is shared, and [there is a] large participation of the people . . . You did very well," Wei said.

"This means that the Philippines is capable to organize bigger-scale games."

The next two Asian Games will be held in Hangzhou, China in 2022 and in Nagoya in 2026.

The Philippines hosted the second Asian Games in 1954, the first and last time the country did.

The only other Southeast Asian countries that have hosted the Asiad are Indonesia (1962 and 2018) and Thailand (1966, 1970, 1978 and 1998).

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