SEA Games 2019 targets 12,000 volunteers

MANILA, Philippines – Filipinos will now have a chance to take part in the country's hosting of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games through the volunteers program. 

The SEA Games volunteers program targets 12,000 people who can help run the many events, and at same time, gain unique experiences offered by the regional biennial meet. (WATCH: PH athletes aim to make mark in 2019 SEA Games)

Applicants must be 18 years old and above and can read and write in English. Apply online through the Google Form link that can be found in the SEA Games' volunteers Facebook page (@2019seagamesvolunteers).

Ramon "Tats" Suzara, the Philippines SEA Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) executive director, hopes the volunteer program will gather more than the target number. (READ: PH hosting of 2019 SEA Games to push through)

"The target of course is 12,000, but I hope that we can [surpass] our target to 13,000, to 14,000, depending on the needs that we have, depending on the 56 sports and the 529 events that we have," said Suzara. 

The recruitment will be concentrated in schools and Filipinos living near the venues – Manila, Clark, Subic, Tarlac, La Union, Tagaytay, and Batangas. 

Volunteers can help out in the different committees of the event hosting like sports, venues, international relations, marketing and public relations, and administrative work, among others. 

The final list of volunteers will be announced in July 2019 and the program, headed by former basketball player Wesley Gonzales, will begin training in August. 

"We’re going to tell them about the SEA Games, the history of SEA Games, the SEA Games here, a bit of customer service, then after that we’ll be giving them to their respective functional areas, then the functional areas will train them specifically with the technical know-hows," said Gonzales. 

PHISGOC will be providing the volunteers with uniforms and food throughout the Games that will be held from November 30 to December 11, 2019. – Rappler.com