A WELCOME RESPITE FOR a nation rocked by political turmoil.
Hoping to capture a moment of glory, the Philippines plays host to the 23rd Southeast Asian Games starting today with its sight set on a first-ever overall championship since joining the biennial sportsfest in 1977.
Nearly 4,000 athletes from 11 countries will compete for 439 gold medals in 41 sport disciplines that will be staged in 17 venues in Luzon and in the Visayas.
Action, though, started a week before today’s opening ceremonies at 5:30 p.m. which will have no less than President Macapagal-Arroyo as guest of honor at the Quirino Grandstand.
It is the first kick-off rites to be held in a public park with all previous openings held at the national stadium of the host country.
The Philippines had already claimed its first silver medal from the water polo team last Friday behind perennial winner Singapore.
Several local sports officials are expecting a strong overall showing from Team Philippines and hopes are particularly high in boxing, billiards, bowling, equestrian, taekwondo, athletics, swimming and several martial arts events.
“We are targeting some 120 gold medals this year and we will do our best to land on top,” said Philippine Olympic Committee chair Robert Aventajado.
As the host country, the Philippines has the biggest contingent with 743 athletes and 355 sports officials in the Games, which it previously hosted in 1981 and 1991, when the country lost the overall title to Indonesia by one gold.
Officials of the Philippine SEAG Organizing Committee (Philsoc) headed by Peping Cojuangco assured the country will deliver a smooth hosting job despite being hit by criticisms for the chaotic preparation.
“Everything is okay now,” said Philsoc secretary general Steve Hontiveros. “For the opening ceremonies, our police already checked the security. Gen. Sonny Razon has been on top of this and Gen. Rodolfo Tor has also been in charge.”
Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski, equestrian gold medalist in the 2002 Asian Games, will be the RP flag-bearer during the two-and-a-half hour opening extravaganza.
Also gracing the affair are some of the country’s all-time best athletes led by Filipino boxing idol Manny Pacquiao, four-time world bowling champion Paeng Nepomuceno, Asia’s former track star Lydia de Vega-Mercado, five-time SEAG gold medalist Eric Buhain, Olympic boxing silver medalist Onyok Velasco and US Billiards Hall of Famer Efren “Bata” Reyes.
Taekwondo Olympian Antoinette Rivero will carry the torch and light the Games’ cauldron at the Grandstand.
“This is a show worth remembering,” said overall opening program director Maria Montelibano. “Although we have limited funding, we assure the Filipino people of a great performance.”
The sporting event, however, also does its share in promoting goodwill and peace as Ms Arroyo will be sharing the stage with deputies from the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
“We feel so honored to attend, for the first time in MILF history, the opening of the SEA Games,” said MILF spokesperson Eid Kabalu in a statement. “This will show the world we are for peace and the MILF’s strong commitment to the peace talks.”
Security has been extra tight as royalty and dignitaries from the region arrived for the Games this week, among them Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and Princess Sievannavari Nariratana of Thailand, Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah and Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah of Brunei and Prince Norodom Ranariddh of Cambodia.
First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, chef de mission of Team Philippines, formally welcomed the delegates yesterday during a simple flag-raising ceremony at the Rizal Park.
Manila Mayor Lito Atienza gave the key of the city to the chef de missions of member-nations from Brunei, Cambodia, Timor Leste, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma (Myanmar), Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
