PNA: News on ‘best SEA Games organizer’ award was based on PHISGOC press release

The Philippine News Agency's story on the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee being recognized as "Best SEA Games Organizer" by Sports Industry Asia was based on press release sent by the PHISGOC, the PNA said in a tweet on Friday.

The social media post came a day after the Esquiremag.ph reported that there was no such award as "Best Sea Games Organizer".

The online magazine cited the state news agency as one of the news organizations that carried the story, which it called "far from true."

"In the wake of varied reactions on socmed to a story attributed by http://esquiremag.ph to the PNA, we would like to clarify that the story titled 'Asian award body hails Phisgoc as 'best SEAG organizer' posted on our website on Dec. 4 was based on PHISGOC press release," PNA said on Twitter on Friday.

READ | In the wake of varied reactions on socmed to a story attributed by https://t.co/nuMGZqE7xa to the PNA,we would like to clarify that the story titled “Asian award body hails Phisgoc as ‘best SEAG organizer” posted on our website on Dec. 4 was based on PHISGOC press release. pic.twitter.com/EwdW0vKVpm

— Phil News Agency (@pnagovph) December 5, 2019

In a series of tweets, PNA explained that its sports editor had received a press release from an email with the address: media@2019seagames.com. The agency also cited other news and sports websites which used the same statement.

PHISGOC chairman Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday vouched for the authenticity of the Best Sea Games Organizer title supposedly bestowed by SPIA Asia.

Cayetano said reports that say otherwise were fake news.

SPIA is an award-giving body endorsed by the PHISGOC and the Tourism Promotions Board Philippines.

FULL COVERAGE: 30th Southeast Asian Games on GMA News Online

Cayetano said the CEO of SPIA, Eric Gottschalk praised him the country's hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

"Tignan niyo ‘yung video, ‘yung CEO mismo nagsabi, 'best organized SEA Games so far'," Cayetano said, referring to the footage of the awarding ceremonies earlier this week.

The post went viral while Cayetano and PHISCOG drew criticisms for supposedly patting their own back as SPIA was itself endorsed by the SEA Games organizers and the Tourism Promotions Board of the Philippines. 

SPIA Asia later updated its website to indicate that PHISGOC had won the SPIA Asia Excellence Award, instead of the "Best SEA Games Organizer" award. —NB, GMA News