MANILA, Philippines -- Organizers of the 31st Southeast Asian Games have reaffirmed Vietnam's hosting of the biennial games on May 12 to 25, following the first meeting among chef de missions held virtually on Tuesday.

"It's certainly a go for the SEA Games in Hanoi in May," Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Rep. Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino said.

Tolentino attended the meeting along with Team Philippines chef de mission Ramon Fernandez.

"Pre-Games formalities and timelines were presented, as well as soft copies of the Games manual were distributed to the members," said Tolentino.

The countdown to the Games, originally scheduled for November 21 to December 2 last year, ticked at 114 days on Monday.

• READ: POC confident Hanoi ready to host SEA Games
• READ: Vietnam SEAG set for May 12 to 23 next year

With the entry by numbers done last January 12, Tolentino said Hanoi set a February 12 distribution date and March 12 deadline for the submission of accreditation forms.

The deadline for the submission of entries by names, Tolentino added, is set for March 12, after which the chefs de mission will meet again, most likely face-to-face, on March 18.

The POC submitted a 627-athlete entry by numbers for the Games with Filipino athletes competing in 39 of the 40 sports on the Hanoi program.

The Philippines is not competing in xiangqi or Chinese or elephant chess, but is fielding athletes in bodybuilding which is making a comeback in the SEA Games after getting scrapped because of rampant doping.

The medical and doping control handbooks, Tolentino said, are due one month before the opening ceremony on May 12, while the Accreditation Center in Hanoi will open on April 25.

Vietnam set a May schedule for the Games to give Cambodia enough window for its first-time hosting of the multi-sport competition in February 2023.

The Philippines is the reigning overall champion of the biennial Games following a successful hosting of the 30th edition in 2019.

• READ: 'Uphill battle' for Team PH to defend SEA Games crown