By Jean Malanum

Philippine Sports Commission Commissioner Walter Torres (Contributed photo)

MANILA – The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has begun preparations for the 11th Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Friendship Games scheduled in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan on Dec. 1-5.

The tournament aims to foster excellence and camaraderie in sports among young people in the sub-region.

PSC Commissioner Walter Torres on Thursday assured the successful staging of the Games, which features athletics, archery, badminton, karate, swimming, sepak takraw, pencak silat, and esports.

PSC Assistance and Coordination Division chief Anna Christine Abellana is the overall head of the Games’ technical working group, with Lauro Domingo Jr., the PSC Program Research and Development Division chief, as her deputy.

On July 5, the PSC technical working group had a coordination meeting via Zoom with Puerto Princesa City Mayor Lucilo Bayron.

Puerto Princesa City will host the BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games for the second time. The first was in 2003.

The 1996 and 2012 editions were held in General Santos City. Malaysia was host in 1997 (Kuching, Sarawak), 2004 (Kota Kinabalu, Sabah), and Labuan (2014), and Indonesia in 2006 (Makassar) and 2016 (Samarinda).

Brunei Darussalam’s capital Bandar Seri Begawan played host in 2008 and 2018, the last edition of the Games. (PNA)