Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) President William Ramirez said the nation hosting the event, which had been postponed three times because of the COVID-19 pandemic, was "not feasible without Government support".

The 2020 ASEAN Para Games had been scheduled to run from January 18 to 24, before the multi-sport competition was pushed back to March 20 to 28.

Organisers had been hoping the Games could instead take place in May or June but it was announced in March that the event had been rescheduled for October 3 to 9.

The PSC has now seen the entire budget for the Games cut as an emergency financial measure amid continued concern over the likely long-lasting economic impact of the pandemic.

Ramirez said the money which had been designated for the ASEAN Para Games would be used to help athletes during the coronavirus crisis.

"Our hearts and prayers go to our local and ASEAN Para-athletes and the entire Paralympic community, and those who have toiled and laboured for the past two years," Ramirez said, according to media reports in the Philippines.

The pandemic has forced a near complete shut down of sport worldwide as international travel has ground to a halt and countries have initiated lockdowns in a bid to curb the spread of the virus.

The Philippines has reported more than 9,400 cases of COVID-19 and 623 deaths. 

A total of 1,533 athletes and 829 officials, from 11 nations, had signed up to compete at the 2020 ASEAN Para Games.

Athletes had been due to compete across 19 sports in three main clusters in New Clark City, Subic and Manila.

Competitors who had been set to take part at the event will now have to focus their training on the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, pushed back to 2021 because of COVID-19.