The preparation of Filipino athletes for the coming Laos SEA Games suffered a minor setback when some training venues were damaged by the recent typhoon, but officials said they will be back on track immediately.

Massive clean up operations are currently being undertaken at the decades-old Rizal Memorial sports complex in Malate where some venues were flooded causing severe damage that may run into millions of pesos.

But training was immediately resumed in other Philippine Sports Commission facilities as the country races to keep the athletes in shape for the coming biennial games set in Laos in December.

The clean up was undertaken as soon as the rains stopped Sunday afternoon with PSC chairman Harry Angping leading the operation.

“As per instructions of Chairman Angping, it will probably continue the whole week,” said PSC legal counsel head Paul Vega, who spoke in behalf of Angping. “I don’t think it will affect our preparations for Laos.”

According to Vega, athletes can train at Philsports Complex in Pasig if some facilities at Rizal complex would not be restored in time.

“Philsports can serve as an alternative venue for training,” said Vega.

The PSC has yet to determine the extent of the damage since it still awaiting the formal report from its engineering department but Angping said it could be millions.

“We are still checking,” Vega said. “All our venues are affected, with Ninoy Aquino Stadium and Rizal Memorial Coliseum among the most affected.”

The major casualty of the typhoon was the opening of the Asian Men’s Senior Volleyball Championships last Saturday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. This was cancelled and the event opened last Sunday at the nearby San Andres gym.