With colorful fireworks displays, the parade of athletes from the 11 countries from Southeast Asia and the concert treat from Arnel Pineda and the Black Eyed Peas, the 30^th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games came to an end on Wednesday (December 11).

With the festivities, the SEA Games committee officially ended the 56 sports and over 500 events of the biennial meet.

The Philippines was hailed the Overall Champion after bagging 386 medals, with 149 gold, 118 silver, and 119 bronze.

Filipino surfer Roger Casugay was conferred with Fair Play Athlete award after his heroic act of saving fellow surfer from Indonesia during their competition.

“We didn’t allow the glitter of the gold to blind us. Hindi po tayo nabulag sa ginto. When an athlete’s life was at risk, it was clear to Roger what was more important than the gold,” PHISGOC Chairman House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano proudly said during his speech.

Male Mega Athlete was awarded to swimmer Zheng Wen of Singapore, while Female Mega Athlete was given to Thi Anh Vien Nguyen of Viet Nam.

The official handover of the SEA Games Flag to Viet Nam who will host the event in 2021 was also the highlight of Wednesday’s closing ceremony. — (with details from Mai Bermudez) /mbmf

MANILA, Philippines – The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) advises motorists to avoid traversing parts of Taguig City on Sunday, December 22 due to anticipated heavy traffic in line with the conduct of Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) Parade of Stars.

The MMFF parade which will feature floats carrying celebrities of official movie entries will be held from 12 noon to 7 p.m.

This will go through the following routes: from Lakeshore C6, right turn to M.L Quezon Avenue, left turn to MRT Avenue then right turn to Cuasay, right turn to CP Garcia (C5) Service Road, then left turn to Upper Mckinely Road, right turn to Lawton Avenue-5^th Street, right turn again to McKinley Parkway, left turn to 32^nd street, left turn to 7^th Avenue, right to 26^th Avenue, left turn to 5^th Avenue, right turn to LeGrand Avenue and Chateau Road.

The MMDA also said that road closures will be implemented in the following areas:

• Along ML Quezon Avenue (Dr. A. Santos to MRT)
• Along MRT (from ML Quezon to Cuasay)
• Along Cuasay (from MRT to C5)
• C5 Service Road cor. Cayetano Boulevard

Counterflow vehicles will be allowed in the following areas:

• Along Upper McKinely Road from C5 to Lawton Avenue
• Lawton-5^th Street from Upper McKinley to McKinley Parkway
• Along 32^nd Avenue from McKinley Parkway to 7^th Avenue

A stop-and-go scheme will be implemented in the following roads:

• C-5 road – Upper Mckinley
• C-5 Service Road – Sampaguita bridge
• Mckinley Parkway – 26th Avenue

The MMDA said affected roads will be opened by 7 p.m.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said security for the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games will remain until the last foreign delegate has left the country.

In a statement on Wednesday (December 11), PNP Officer-in-Charge Pol. Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa said he has ordered the PNP security contingent to continue police visibility and provide assistance to SEA Games delegates.

“This mission ends only until after the last foreign delegate has left the country,” Gamboa said.—AAC